-1 

J.  GORDON  MELTON 


LIBRARY 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

SANTA  BARBARA 

Gift  of 

THE  INSTITUTE 

FOR  THE  STUDY  OF 

AMERICAN  RELIGION 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH 
OF  CANTON,  OHIO 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH 
as  remodeled  and  enlarged  in  1898 


PARSONAGE 
Built  in  1890 


HISTORY 


If 


OF  THE 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH 

CANTON,    OHIO/ 


BY 

REV.  THEODORE  P.  BOLLIGER 

PASTOR  SINCE  ^907 


CENTRAL  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 
CLEVELAND.  OHIO 


TO  THE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  FIRST  CHURCH 

whose  graciousness  has  sustained  me; 

TO  THE  CONSISTORY 

without  whose  helpfulness  my  pastoral  activities 
could  not  have  prospered; 

TO  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  AND  ITS 
FAITHFUL  CORPS  OF  WORKERS 

this  volume  is  gratefully  dedicated. 


PREFACE. 

THE  First  Reformed  Church  of  Canton  and  its  early  pastors  helped 
largely  to  make  Reformed  Church  history  in  Ohio.  The  Church 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  problems,  turmoils  and  movements  of  the  last 
century.  The  author  kept  constantly  before  him  a  fourfold  aim :  First, 
to  give  the  story  of  the  humble  beginnings  and  the  growth  of  the  First 
Church;  secondly,  to  show  the  close  relation  between  the  First  Church 
and  the  development  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Stark  County  and 
beyond,  through  the  congregations  which  were  associated  with  it  as  a 
parish ;  thirdly,  to  sketch  the  religious  movements  and  ecclesiastical  bat- 
tles in  which  the  First  Church  took  a  leading  part ;  fourthly,  to  indicate 
the  conditions  and  the  development  of  Canton  from  period  to  period. 

The  gathering  of  the  material  was  fraught  with  great  difficulties. 
The  first  church  record,  kept  in  common  by  the  Reformed  and  Luther- 
ans before  1829,  disappeared  long  ago.  The  first  record  kept  by  the  Re- 
formed Church  alone  after  1829,  contains  only  a  list  of  the  baptisms, 
and  several  lists  of  communicants  and  confirmations.  The  second 
record  containing  the  account  of  the  congregational  meetings,  dates 
back  only  to  1859.  This  record  unfortunately  is  so  brief  and  incom- 
plete, that  it  does  not  even  mention  the  lawsuit  of  the  Lutherans 
against  the  Reformed,  nor  the  fact  that  a  new  church  was  being 
erected.  The  facts  had  to  be  literally  dug  out  from  many  mines. 

The  chief  sources  of  information  were  the  minutes  of  the  synods, 
the  classes,  and  various  church  organizations.  All  the  minutes  of  the 
Eastern  Synod  from  1793-1830;  the  Ohio  Classis  from  1820-23;  the 
Ohio  Synod  from  1824-1881 ;  the  Independent  Synod  of  Ohio  from 
1846-1852 ;  the  Columbiana  Classis ;  the  North  German  Classis ;  the  St. 
John's  Classis ;  and  the  First  Church  and  all  its  organizations,  were  ex- 
amined page  by  page,  and  every  piece  of  information  that  seemed  of 
value  was  carefully  copied  out  and  used. 

The  second  important  sources  of  information  were  the  histories  of 
Stark  County,  the  earliest  newspapers  published  in  Canton,  and  the 
earliest  church  papers  of  Ohio.  The  first  twenty  volumes  of  the  oldest 


vi  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  OHIO 

German  newspaper  published  in  Canton,  and  the  first  forty  volumes  of 
the  "Canton  Repository,"  were  examined  column  by  column  and  all  re- 
ferences to  the  Reformed  Church  utilized.  In  the  same  manner  the  oldest 
church  papers  published  in  Ohio,  "Der  Evangelist,"  "Die  Kirchenzei- 
tung,"  "The  Western  Missionary,"  and  "The  Christian  World,"  as  well 
as  every  issue  of  the  "Almanac,"  were  consulted.  Especially  valuable 
also  were  the  books  of  Dr.  J.  G.  Buettner  for  the  period  from  1830-45, 
and  the  "Reminiscences  of  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck."  These  reminiscences 
were  prepared  about  1875,  at  the  request  of  Rev.  H.  J.  Ruetenik,  D.D., 
but  had  been  so  completely  lost  that  neither  Dr.  Ruetenik  nor  the  family 
of  Rev.  Herbruck  knew  that  they  were  still  in  existence.  From  the  writ- 
ings of  Dr.  Buettner  and  Dr.  Herbruck  many  of  the  most  interesting 
incidents  of  this  book  have  been  gathered. 

It  yet  remains  for  the  author  to  express  his  indebtedness  to  those 
who  gave  assistance  in  the  preparation  of  this  volume:  to  George  B. 
Frease,  manager  of  the  "Canton  Repository"  for  permission  to  consult  the 
early  volumes  of  his  newspaper;  to  Mrs.  M.  M.  Herbst,  the  daughter 
of  Peter  Kaufman,  one  of  the  earliest  publishers  of  a  German  newspaper 
in  Canton,  for  the  use  of  all  the  extant  volumes ;  to  Dr.  James  I.  Good 
who  freely  offered  rare  books  and  helpful  information;  to  the  authori- 
ties of  the  Central  Theological  Seminary,  Heidelberg  College,  Lancaster 
Theological  Seminary  and  the  Central  Publishing  House,  for  free  access 
to  old  minute  books,  manuscripts  and  periodicals.  Without  this  co- 
operation, the  material  for  this  volume  could  not  have  been  gathered. 
Last  of  all,  though  not  least  to  the  author's  heart,  he  desires  to  thank 
his  dear  friends  and  predecessors  the  Rev'd  John  B.  Rust,  Ph.D.,  D.D., 
and  the  Rev'd  Frederick  C.  Nau  for  writing  the  story  of  their  own  pas- 
torates. 

A  clearer  understanding  of  the  hard  pioneer  life  of  the  fathers,  of 
the  struggles  through  which  they  passed,  of  the  success  and  victories 
which  they  won,  will  put  iron  into  the  blood  of  the  present  generation, 
will  stimulate  loyalty,  and  arouse  to  better  service.  May  this  volume 
contribute  somewhat  to  this  desirable  end.  T.  P.  B. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

I.  THE  EARLIEST  DAYS 1 

Stark  County  110  years  ago.  First  Reformed  settlers. 
First  religious  services.  First  Reformed  Minister.  Rev. 
Mahnenschmidt's  life.  Some  sermon  outlines. 

II.  CANTON'S  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE 8 

The  first  church  building  in  Canton.  References  in  min- 
utes of  Synod  to  Canton.  Religious  conditions  in  Canton 
and  vicinity.  The  first  confirmations.  Rev.  Mahnen- 
schmidt's literary  efforts.  Canton  in  1816. 

III.  THE  FIRST  RESIDENT  MINISTER 16 

Benjamin  Faust's  youth.  Education,  Marriage.  Condi- 
tions in  country  congregations.  The  Ohio  Classis.  Pe- 
culiar customs.  A  bad  trip  to  Synod. 

IV.  RELOCATING  AND  BUILDING 22 

Reasons  for  relocating.  Description  of  new  building. 
The  cemetery.  Ohio  Synod  organized.  Movement  for 
union  with  Lutherans.  Faust's  missionary  zeal.  Two  in- 
teresting facts. 

V.  FAUST  AS  PASTOR,  PREACHER  AND  MAN 28 

Sunday  School  interest.  Bible  society  work.  Sermon  out- 
lines. Synod  resolutions  at  death.  Size  of  Canton  con- 
gregation in  1832. 

VI.  REV.  FAUST'S  LAST  Six  MONTHS 32 

Suffering  from  tuberculosis.  Meets  young  Herbruck. 
Trains  him.  Herbruck's  first  attempts  to  preach.  Death. 
Obituary  notice.  Grave.  Mrs.  Nancy  Faust. 

VII.  PETER  HERBRUCK'S  YOUTH 37 

Peter  Herbruck's  home.  School  days.  Begins  teaching. 
Starts  for  America.  Walking  through  France.  Ocean  voy- 
age. A  night  in  the  open.  Teaching.  Strange  start  for 
Ohio.  Turned  north  by  a  stranger.  A  voice  leads  him 
westward.  Distress.  A  new  home. 

Til 


viii          FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  OHIO 

PAGE 

VIII.  PETER    HERBRUCK'S   EXPERIENCE    BEFORE  His  OR- 

DINATION   43 

Canton  in  1832.  Seeking  a  successor  for  Rev.  Faust. 
Herbruck's  first  winter.  Disappointed  at  Xenia.  Her- 
bruck's  explanation  of  the  reason.  Marriage.  A  conver- 
sion in  jail.  A  service  at  the  gallows.  Ordination. 

IX.  GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE 52 

Permit  to  perform  marriages.  Contract  with  congrega- 
tions. Moving  to  town.  Experiences  with  the  new  horse. 
Shifting  the  congregations.  Peculiar  action  of  the  Synod. 
In  the  flood.  A  typical  Sunday.  Popular  preaching.  Ex- 
periences with  Pennsylvania  Germans.  Union  movements. 

X.  THE    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY    OF    THE    REFORMED 

CHURCH  IN  OHIO 63 

Training  ministers  formerly.  Attempting  to  found  a 
seminary.  Dr.  J.  G.  Buettner.  Seminary  opened  in  Can- 
ton. The  professor  wants  the  Canton  congregation.  Rea- 
sons for  failure  of  seminary.  A  balky  horse  and  a  mud- 
hole.  A  missionary  trip  to  Indiana.  A  mishap.  A  rob- 
ber. Finding  former  members. 

XI.  THREE  PERPLEXING    PROBLEMS 74 

Change  of  language.  Dr.  Buettner's  experience  in  Osna- 
burg.  Evils  of  liquor  drinking.  Temperance  resolutions. 
An  old-time  protest.  Difficult  position  of  German  minis- 
ters. Classis  organized.  Temperance  sentiment  in  Can- 
ton. New  Measurism.  Invading  Canton.  Excesses.  Syn- 
od disapproves.  The  Osnaburg  revival.  The  fight  that 
didn't  come  off.  Synod  ignores  the  Germans'  protest.  De- 
fects of  New  Measurism.  The  virtues. 

XII.  THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD  87 

Causes  that  led  to  organization.  Columbiana  Classis  at 
Osnaburg.  The  fateful  resolution.  The  secession.  An 
amazing  new-measure  report.  Discourteous  hosts.  Inde- 
pendent Synod  organized.  Reasons  set  forth  for  this  action. 
Growth  of  the  Synod.  Reaction  among  new-measure  men. 
Ohio  Synod  reverses  its  action.  North  German  Classis. 
More  dissensions.  St.  John's  Classis.  Congregations  in 
Canton  parish.  Two  testimonials  given  Rev.  Herbruck. 


CONTENTS  ix 

PAGE 

XIII.  SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS  AND  BUILDING 

THE  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH 96 

Canton  from  1830-50.  Estrangement  between  Reformed 
and  Lutherans.  Plans  to  separate.  The  Reformed  decide 
to  build.  Rev.  Herbruck  chops  down  a  tree.  The  Luther- 
ans sue.  Rev.  Herbruck  gets  a  new  law  passed.  Louis 
Gibbs'  help.  The  settlement.  The  bells. 

XIV.  THE  CORNER  STONE  AND   ITS  CONTENTS  AND  THE 

DEDICATION 105 

Laying  the  Comer  stone.  Opening  the  Corner  stone  in  1914. 
The  Contents.  Sketch  of  history  of  the  Church  by  Rev. 
Herbruck.  Accounts  of  the  Lawsuit.  Names  of  members 
of  the  women's  societies  that  helped.  Description  of  the 
church.  The  dedication. 

XV.  THE    INEVITABLE    ENGLISH     AND    A    FEW  OTHER 

THINGS   114 

The  demand  for  English.  The  losses.  Rev.  Herbruck's 
position.  The  aid  offered  if  an  English  congregation  should 
be  organized.  The  ill  considered  location  of  the  English 
congregation.  Regretable  consequences.  Little  pictures  of 
congregational  life  from  1862-75.  Rev.  Herbruck  becomes 
a  "D.D." 

XVI.  CLOSING  YEARS  OF  DR.  HERBRUCK'S  LIFE 121 

Failing  strength.  50th  Jubilee.  Total  ministerial  acts. 
Death.  Funeral  services.  Death  of  Mrs.  Herbruck.  Can- 
ton in  1895. 

XVII.  EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST.  .  .124 

Birth.  Educational  training.  In  the  Waynesburg  charge. 
History  of  this  charge.  A  scrap  in  Church.  Rev.  Rust's 
first  connection  with  the  Canton  Church.  The  call.  The 
installation.  A  review  of  Rev.  Herbruck's  career. 

XVIII.  THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  J.  B.  RUST 132 

The  first  church  roll.  English  introduced.  Temperance 
agitation.  Church  remodeled.  Loose  ideas  of  Church 
membership  combatted.  Berchtold  Ruf  and  family.  Brave 
stand  for  law  and  order.  The  "wets"  get  excited.  A  fa- 
mous victory.  Resignation.  Rev.  Rust  goes  to  New  Phil- 
adelphia. Literary  activities. 


x  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  OHIO 

PAGE 

XIX.  LIFE  AND  PASTORATE  OF  REV.   FREDERICK  STRASS- 

NER,  D.  D 139 

Rev.  Strassner's  early  life.  Education.  Wyoming  Val- 
ley experiences.  Work  at  Canton :  the  parsonage,  revising 
the  roll,  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  Church  hymnal.  Mrs.  M.  A,  Beh- 
mer.  Troubles.  Successes.  Resignation.  Founding  Grace 
Church.  Last  days.  Two  prayers. 

XX.  THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU 146 

Boyhood.  School  days.  College  and  seminary.  Call  to 
Canton.  Building  the  Sunday  School  addition.  Dedica- 
tion. Memorial  windows.  Sunday  School  growth.  De- 
fects in  building.  Fate  of  the  old  cemetery.  Missionary 
society.  New  organ.  Basement  finished.  Renovating. 
Language  question.  Resignation.  Rev.  Nau  in  the  East. 

XXI.  THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  THE  INCORPORATION 156 

The  "Agreements"  of  1810  and  1822.  First  distinctly  Re- 
formed constitution.  Revisions.  Incorporation  in  1897.  The 
Constitution.  Article  1 — Statement  of  faith.  2 — The  Con- 
sistory. 3 — Duties  of  Consistory.  4 — Consistory  meetings. 
5 — General  duties.  6 — Reception  of  Church-members.  7 — 
Arrivals.  8 — Elections.  9 — Visiting  ministers.  10 — Language. 
11 — Improvements.  12 — General  Constitution.  Incorporation. 

XXII.  REV.    THEODORE    P.    BOLLIGER    AND    THE     FIRST 

CHURCH    164 

The  first  sermons  and  the  call.  Early  life.  Desire  for 
the  ministry.  School  life.  In  Wilkes-Barre.  Marriage. 
New  Philadelphia  pastorate.  Canton.  Language  question. 
The  church-roll.  Debt  paying  campaigns.  Contributions 
of  the  Church.  Improvements  to  property.  Temperance 
agitations.  Billy  Sunday  and  the  First  Church.  Writing 
this  history.  Ministerial  activities.  Religious  and  indus- 
trial forces  of  Canton.  The  men  in  the  consistory. 

XXIII.  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 180 

Early  days.  Rev.  Faust  as  a  Sunday  School  man.  Ear- 
lier ideals  of  Sunday  School  work.  English  introduced. 
The  superintendents.  Departments.  Birthday  offerings. 
Growth  since  1875.  The  present  officers.  The  teachers. 


CONTENTS  xi 

PAGE 

XXIV.  THE  SINGING,  THE  ORGAN  AND  THE  CHOIR 185 

The  first  congregational  singing.  The  first  organ  and 
organist.  The  second  organ.  The  third  organ.  The 
present  organ.  The  choir.  The  directors. 

XXV.  THE  GERMAN  SCHOOL 188 

Why  it  was  built.    Theodore  Mueller.    Karr  and 

Haushalter.  Gruessie.    B.    F.  Schwier.    Rudolph 

Leonhart.    The  passing  of  the  old  building. 

XXVI.  THE  GERMAN  LADIES'  AID  SOCIETY 192 

Early  societies.     Organization  of  present  society.     Pur- 
pose.    Their  good  works.     Death  benefits.     Faithful  old 
officers. 

XXVII.  THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  SOCIETY  OF  CHRISTIAN  EN- 

DEAVOR   195 

Value  of  the  society.  Organization.  Some  early  mem- 
bers. Flowers  for  the  altar  and  the  sick.  Junior  Society. 
List  of  presidents.  Hard  times.  Present  officers. 

XXVIII.  THE  WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 198 

Why  organized.  Object.  The  sewing-circle.  Visiting. 
Working  for  a  classical  organization.  Organizing  the 
Classical.  Regular  programs.  The  Auxiliary  Woman's  So- 
ciety. The  Emma  Ziemer  Circle.  Present  officers  of  these 
societies.  Former  presidents. 

XXIX.  EXPANSION    202 

Buying  lots  for  a  fourth  church.  Lowell  Reformed.  A 
site  for  a  fifth  church.  Maple  Ave.  Sunday  School.  How 
the  present  churches  propose  to  help. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

1  First  Reformed  Church  and  Parsonage  Frontispiece 

2  Page  of  Sermon  Outlines  by  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt 1 

3  Rev.  John  Peter  Mahnenschmidt 8 

4  Signature  of  all  the  Pastors 16 

5  The  Church  Erected  in  1824 22 

6  Sermon  Outline  by  Rev.  B.  Faust 28 

7  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  at  Forty-five  Years 87 

8  The  Third  Church  Building  Erected % 

9  The  Interior  of  the  Third  Building  Erected 105 

10  The  Contents  of  the  Corner  Stone 107 

11  Trinity  Reformed  Church   114 

12  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck,  D.D 121 

13  Rev.  John  B.  Rust,  Ph.D.,  D.D 124 

14  Interior  of  Third  Church  Building  after  Remodeling 132 

15  Rev.  F.  Strassner,  D.D 139 

16  Mrs.  F.  Strassner  139 

17  The  Grace  Reformed  Church  144 

18  Rev.  Frederick  C.  Nau 146 

19  Rev.  Theodore  P.  Bolliger  164 

20  Interior  View,  Front,  1916 173 

21  Interior  View,  Rear,  1916 173 

22  The  Elders    179 

23  The  Deacons   179 

24  The  Sunday  School  Officers  180 

25  The  Adult  Teachers 184 

26  The  Intermediate  and  Junior  Teachers 184 

27  The  Primary  Officers  and  Teachers  184 

28  The  German  School  188 

29  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  192 

30  Officers  and  Charter  Members  of  Ladies'  Aid  Society 194 

31  The  Former  Christian  Endeavor  Presidents 195 

32  The  Woman's  Missionary  Society 198 

33  The  Presidents  of  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society 201 

34  The  Proposed  Lowell  Reformed  Church 202 

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CHAPTER  I 
THE  EARLIEST  DAYS 

THE  history  of  the  First  Reformed  Church  and  of  the  city 
of  Canton  is  closely  interwoven.  Both  passed  together 
through  the  hard,  poverty-filled  pioneer  days ;  both  entered 
together  into  a  long  period  of  slow  growth  and  difficult  prob- 
lems ;  and  both  attained  to  the  goal  of  prosperity  and  large 
influence. 

It  is  difficult  for  the  present  generation,  surrounded  by 
comforts,  conveniences,  and  opportunities  constantly  multiply- 
ing, to  imagine  the  hardships  and  struggles  of  the  early  days. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  deep,  dark  forests 
stretched  in  almost  unbroken  continuity  where  now  are  found 
the  fertile  fields,  rich  orchards  and  smiling  gardens  of  Stark 
County.  The  Indian  war-whoop  still  frequently  resounded  in 
the  forests  and  human  blood  often  flecked  with  crimson  the 
innocent  grasses  and  bushes.  Wolves,  bears,  panthers,  deer 
and  other  wild  animals  still  roamed  the  woods ;  game  birds  of 
every  description  abounded,  and  all  the  common  fur-bearing 
animals  such  as  muskrats,  minks,  beavers,  and  otter  were  free- 
ly caught.  Then — about  1805 — the  white  man  came. 

In  1805,  Bezaleel  Wells  secured  a  tract  of  land  about  five 
miles  square  located  about  the  forks  of  the  Nimishillin  which 
included  the  present  location  of  Canton.  The  tract  was  sur- 
veyed and  a  site  for  a  town  selected  and  laid  out  in  lots  in 
1806.  During  this  year  the  first  settlers  arrived  and  the  first 
cabins  went  up.  After  three  years  the  number  of  inhabitants 
in  Canton  was  only  twenty-seven,  though  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  settlers  had  taken  up  land  in  the  surrounding  country. 
Canton  was  then  the  western  boundary  of  civilization.  The 
mail  was  brought  in  only  once  a  week  from  New  Lisbon.  The 
Postoffice  was  a  drawer  behind  the  bar  of  a  tavern  located  on 
the  square. 

The  first  settlers  were  able  to  carry  but  a  few  things  into 


2  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

the  wilderness.  Every  convenience  was  lacking.  Meal  had 
to  be  ground  by  hand  or  was  brought  long  distances  on  horse- 
back. The  first  iron  stove  was  not  brought  in  until  about  1825. 
Before  that  cooking  was  generally  done  on  the  open  fire.  The 
teakettle  hung  on  a  crane;  the  skillet  was  set  on  the  coals, 
potatoes  were  baked  in  the  ashes  and  baking  was  done  in  rude- 
ly contrived  ovens.  Dishes  were  of  pewter  or,  more  likely, 
fashioned  out  of  wood.  The  log-cabins  consisted  generally 
of  a  single  room.  Every  inch  of  space  was  valuable,  hence 
beds  were  built  high  so  that  the  children's  trundle-bed  could  be 
slipped  underneath  when  not  occupied.  A  tallow-candle,  or 
the  fire  on  the  hearth,  furnished  the  only  light. 

Though  the  Indians  had  given  up  all  claim  to  the  land 
east  of  the  Tuscarawas  River,  it  was  still  their  custom  to  hunt 
and  fish  wherever  fancy  led  them.  They  were  also  inveterate 
beggars,  often  appearing  at  lonely  cabins,  and  by  threatening 
miens,  securing  what  they  wanted.  The  women  and  children 
especially  were  kept  in  constant  fear.  Preceding  the  war  of 
1812  with  England,  the  Indians  were  in  a  restless,  ugly  mood, 
for  England  was  following  its  ancient  custom  of  stirring  up 
the  aborigines  against  the  settlers.  After  this  second  war  was 
over,  the  Indians  rapidly  removed  farther  to  the  west  and 
northwest,  and  all  Indian  danger  was  over. 

Amid  such  conditions  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Can- 
ton had  its  origin.  The  early  settlers  for  the  greater  part 
were  Germans  who  had  pushed  out  into  the  wilderness  from 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  These  were  nearly  all  Reformed 
or  Lutheran.  But  few  were  the  possessions  which  could  be 
carried  to  their  new  homes,  but  among  these  few  a  Bible,  pray- 
erbook,  and  often  a  hymnbook  or  a  small  volume  of  sermons 
was  seldom  lacking.  During  the  first  years  the  people  were 
found  but  irregularly  by  a  minister.  Rev.  John  Staugh,  a 
Lutheran  minister,  visited  the  new  settlement  and  conducted  a 
service  as  early  as  1806.  About  the  same  time  John  Peter 
Mahnenschmidt,  who  was  then  serving  several  Reformed  con- 
gregations in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania  (southwest 
of  Pittsburgh)  also  visited  the  people.  Thereafter  at  long 


THE  EARLIEST  DAYS  3 

intervals  he  would  return  and  conduct  services.  In  those 
days  denominational  barriers  were  not  high  nor  menacing,  and 
Reformed  and  Lutherans  gladly  met  in  one  common  service 
regardless  of  the  denominational  affiliations  of  the  preacher. 
During  the  long  intervals  when  no  regular  preacher  was  avail- 
able, the  faithful  ones  were  accustomed  to  gather  together  and 
conduct  an  informal  service  among  themselves.  A  hymn  or 
two  would  be  sung  without  organ  or  any  other  musical  instru- 
ment, a  prayer  would  be  offered  or  more  commonly  read,  and 
someone  would  read  a  sermon,  followed  perhaps  by  a  free 
word  of  exhortation.  With  another  hymn  the  service  would 
be  closed.  One  of  the  early  pioneers  testifies  to  the  influence 
of  these  gatherings  in  these  words,  "Many  of  those  who  wit- 
nessed these  religious  exercises  in  the  then  wilderness  cannot 
have  forgotten  the  zeal,  the  good  feeling,  the  solemnity  that 
was  apparent.  God  smiled  graciously  on  the  first  settlers  and 
conferred  on  them  many  and  rich  blessings  while  employed  in 
rearing  homes  in  these  wilds."  On  his  first  visits  to  Ohio,  Mr. 
Mahnenschmidt  informs  us,  that  he  preached  in  houses,  school- 
houses,  little  log-cabins,  barns,  and  even  under  the  green  trees 
"greatly  to  the  joy  of  the  people." 

The  first  regular  place  in  which  services  were  conducted 
was  the  barn  of  Michael  Rieth.  The  name  is  spelled  "Reed" 
in  all  the  published  histories  of  Stark  County.  This  spelling  is 
incorrect.  Both  the  father  and  the  children  wrote  the  name 
"Rieth"  as  can  be  seen  in  certain  documents  on  record  at  the 
County  Courthouse.  The  Rieth  family  settled  in  Canton  in 
1810,  but  the  land  was  bought  earlier.  Mr.  Rieth  owned  the 
quarter  section  just  north  and  west  of  Twelfth  Street  and 
Maple  Avenue,  N.  E.  He  had  a  large  barn  built  of  logs  with 
a  spacious  threshing  floor.  This  floor  served  as  the  auditor- 
ium. The  conveniences  offered  were  not  such  as  would  please 
our  soft  and  delicate  age.  The  pews  were  simply  rough  slabs 
hauled  in  from  the  sawmill  and  laid  on  a  log  support.  The 
pulpit  was  probably  formed  by  a  log  of  proper  length  tipped  on 
end.  There  was  always  a  scarcity  of  hymn-books,  and  the 
preacher  was  generally  obliged  to  read  the  hymns  line  by  line, 


4  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

waiting  between  lines  for  the  audience  to  sing  what  had  been 
read.  All  classes  and  conditions  of  men  attended.  The  serv- 
ices offered  a  welcome  opportunity  not  only  to  satisfy  their 
religious  needs ;  but  also  to  gratify  their  social  instincts,  and 
discuss  financial  and  agricultural  affairs.  When  the  weather 
was  too  cold  to  hold  services  in  this  barn,  private  houses  and 
the  large  room  of  a  tavern  were  occasionally  substituted.  The 
services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Staugh  and  Mr.  Mahnen- 
schmidt  as  they  had  opportunity  to  visit  our  community.  Some 
reminiscences  of  the  first  quarter  century  are  worth  preserving. 
In  summertime  the  smaller  boys  and  girls  generally  went  to 
meeting  barefooted.  The  youth  of  both  sexes,  however,  desir- 
ing to  make  a  more  genteel  appearance,  would  frequently  carry 
their  shoes  and  stockings  along,  slip  into  them  just  before 
reaching  the  meeting-place,  and  just  as  promptly  slip  them  off 
again  when  the  congregation  scattered. 

As  John  Peter  Mahnenschmidt  was  the  first  Reformed 
preacher  who  conducted  services  in  Canton,  and  since  he  gath- 
ered together  the  scattered  Reformed  believers  and  organized 
them  into  a  congregation  which  still  stands  as  a  monument  to 
his  zeal  and  fidelity,  and  is  counted  today  as  the  third  oldest 
Reformed  congregation  in  the  State  of  Ohio ;  it  is  fitting  that 
this  chapter  should  close  with  a  brief  sketch  of  his  career. 

John  Peter  Mahnenschmidt  was  the  third  Reformed  min- 
ister to  settle  permanently  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  He  was  born 
in  western  Pennsylvania  in  1783.  The  place  and  county  are 
no  longer  known.  His  father  was  a  pious  schoolmaster.  From 
him  the  son  early  learned  to  love  righteousness  and  hate  iniqui- 
ty and  to  dedicate  his  life  to  the  service  of  God.  After  thor- 
ough instruction  in  the  Bible  and  the  Catechism  he  was  con- 
firmed when  about  sixteen.  Until  eighteen  years  of  age  John 
Peter  worked  for  his  father  at  home.  After  that  we  find  him 
making  his  own  way  through  life.  In  the  summer  he  worked 
as  day-laborer,  during  the  winter  he  taught  school  in  Somerset 
and  Washington  counties  in  south-western  Pennsylvania.  Dur- 
ing this  time  he  became  very  active  religiously.  Wherever  he 
lived  he  at  once  gathered  the  believers  together  in  regular 


THE  EARLIEST  DAYS  5 

meetings  for  prayer  and  the  development  of  the  spiritual  life. 
Truly  devoted  to  God  himself,  he  never  wearied  in  seeking  out 
others  and  urging  them  to  repentance;  and  the  Lord  largely 
blessed  his  efforts.  The  people  strongly  urged  him  to  give 
himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  but  he  shrank  from  the 
thought  under  a  deep  sense  of  his  own  unworthiness.  The 
struggle  that  ensued  caused  him  great  anxiety  and  many  tears. 

About  this  time  while  teaching  school  in  Somerset  County, 
a  death  occured  in  the  neighborhood.  As  no  minister  was 
available,  he  was  earnestly  solicited  to  hold  a  funeral  service. 
Though  filled  with  fear  and  misgivings  he  finally  consented, 
and  conducted  a  service  which  gave  great  satisfaction.  Nev- 
ertheless he  still  hesitated  to  decide  for  the  sacred  calling  of 
the  ministry.  He  was  then  nineteen  years  old. 

Shortly  after  he  went  to  Washington  County  to  teach 
school.  The  Reformed  minister  of  the  community  having 
died,  the  people  soon  urged  him  so  earnestly  to  become  their 
pastor  that  finally  he  consented  and  began  to  serve  them  regu- 
larly about  1806,  when  twenty-three  years  of  age.  The  strug- 
gle to  make  the  final  decision  had  thus  extended  over  a  period 
of  four  years.  These  congregations  in  Washington  County 
were  served  from  1806-11. 

In  those  early  pioneer  days,  ecclesiastical  affairs  were  not 
conducted  in  that  orderly  and  regular  way  to  which  we  are  now 
accustomed.  Church  discipline  and  Church  laws  were  little 
known.  So  it  came  to  pass  that  Mr.  Mahnenschmidt,  zealous 
and  devoted  though  he  was,  fell  into  the  grave  irregularity  of 
beginning  his  ministry  before  being  licensed  by  the  synod  to 
preach  or  having  been  ordained  as  a  minister.  He  performed 
the  usual  ministerial  acts,  and  administered  the  sacraments 
without  first  obtaining  church  authority.  In  1811  he  finally 
applied  to  the  synod  to  license  and  ordain  him.  Though  his 
irregular  action  during  the  previous  five  years  was  indeed 
against  him,  his  consecration  and  devotion  were  so  manifest, 
that  the  committee  to  whom  the  request  was  referred  reported 
that  "This  young  man  expressed  regret  for  his  error,  and 
stated  that  he  did  it  through  ignorance.  In  other  respects  he 


6  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

is  worthy  to  be  received."  At  the  next  meeting  of  the  synod 
he  was  therefore  licensed  and  given  authority  to  serve  congre- 
gations in  the  capacity  of  minister,  though  he  was  not  ordained 
until  1817.  That  the  synod  made  no  mistake  in  taking  this 
action  was  later  attested  by  forty-two  years  of  a  singularly 
devoted  ministry. 

The  same  year  in  which  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  was  li- 
censed, he  came  to  Ohio,  and  became  pastor  of  about  a  dozen 
congregations  in  Columbiana  and  adjoining  counties,  his  min- 
istry reaching  from  1812-1857.  He  died  in  Canfield,  Ohio,  on 
July  11,  1857. 

After  coming  to  Ohio  he  visited  Stark  County  at  stated 
intervals,  preaching  in  Canton,  and  several  neighboring  con- 
gregations, such  as  the  Warstler,  the  Sherman's  and  the  Paris 
Church.  These  were  all  at  that  time  union  Reformed  and 
Lutheran  Churches.  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt's  connection  with 
the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Canton  dates  from  1806  or 
1807  and  lasted  until  1818  when  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  became 
the  resident  pastor  of  the  Canton  Charge. 

Before  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  was  finally  ordained  to  the 
ministry,  the  Synod  required  (as  it  did  of  all  young  ministers) 
that  he  submit  annually  an  outline  of  the  sermons  preached, 
so  that  the  older  ministers  might  judge  of  his  progress  in  ser- 
monizing and  caution  him  against  any  error  in  doctrine.  One 
of  these  pamphlets  of  sermon-heads  has  been  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Lancaster,  Pa. 
Through  the  courtesy  of  the  present  pastor  of  the  Church,  the 
Rev'd  W.  Stuart  Cramer,  it  is  possible  to  present  a  fac  simile 
of  a  page  of  this  pamphlet  at  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  and 
add  the  translation  here.  These  outlines  are  of  special  interest 
to  the  Canton  church  because  without  a  doubt  some  of  them 
were  used  in  the  regular  preaching  trips  which  Rev.  Mahnen- 
schmidt made  to  Canton  during  the  period  in  question. 


THE  EARLIEST  DAYS 


Springfield 

On  Luke  5  :  32.   "I  am  not  come  to  call  the  right- 
eous but  sinners." 
1.  The  sinners  who  are  called  to  repentance. 
2.  The  righteous. 

Good  Hope  Church 

On  Rev.  22:  14.     "Blessed  are  they   that 
commandments." 
1.  The  commandments. 
2.  The  keeping  of  the  same. 

do  his 

Salem's  Church 

On  Gal.  6  :  15.  "For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  —  " 
1.  That  which  does  not  avail. 
2.  That  which  does  avail. 

Columbiana 

On  the  same  notes. 

Bordman 

On  Acts  3  :  19.  "Repent  ye  therefore—" 
1.  True  repentance. 
2.  The  fruits  thereof. 
S.The  infinite  advantage. 

In  Liberty 

On  the  same  notes. 

CHAPTER  II 
CANTON'S  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE 

IN  this  chapter  the  development  of  Canton  and  the  Re- 
formed congregation  will  be  traced  from  1810  to  the  com- 
ing in  1818  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust,  the  first  resident  pastor 
of  the  Reformed  congregation. 

When  Canton  was  laid  out  in  1806  by  Bezaleel  Wells,  three 
parcels  of  ground  were  dedicated  for  public  purposes.  The 
plats  where  McKinley  Park,  the  Central  High  School,  and  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  are  now  located  were  marked 
respectively  as  being  intended  "For  a  cemetery",  "For  a 
School,"  and,  "For  a  House  of  Worship." 

The  plot  dedicated  to  church  purposes  was  200  by  200  feet 
in  size  and  was  located  between  Tuskarawas  and  Seventh 
Streets,  and  Wells  and  Plum  Streets.  Plum  Street  was  later 
renamed  in  honor  of  the  most  eminent  citizen  whom  Canton 
has  had,  William  McKinley;  Tuskarawas  Street  gradually 
became  more  dignified  and  so  the  "k"  was  changed  to  a  "c." 
Seventh  Street  is  now  called  Second  Street  S.W. 

Canton  in  1810  had  about  two  score  inhabitants,  and  could 
boast  of  two  stores,  two  mills,  a  grist-mill  and  a  saw-mill,  four 
taverns,  and  a  number  of  shops  conducted  respectively  by  a 
butcher,  a  tailor,  a  shoemaker,  a  carpenter  and  a  wheelwright. 
A  tanyard  was  also  in  operation.  A  school-teacher,  a  doctor 
and  a  lawyer  had  already  settled  in  Canton,  but  as  yet  no 
preacher  of  the  Gospel  was  on  hand  to  minister  regularly  to  the 
spiritual  needs  of  the  people. 

The  occasional  visits  of  Rev.'s  Staugh  and  Mahnenschmidt 
had,  however,  already  inspired  the  people  with  the  thought  of 
building  a  modest,  little  church  which  would  serve  as  the  home 
for  the  Reformed  and  the  Lutheran  congregations  which  were 
in  the  process  of  formation.  The  people  of  each  denomination 
were  too  few  in  number,  and  too  poor  in  purse,  to  attempt  the 
erection  of  separate  church  buildings.  Furthermore,  their  res- 

8 


REV.  JOHN  PETER  MAHNENSCHMIDT 
Taken  after  death.    Only  picture  known  to  be  in  existence 


CANTON'S  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE  9 

idence  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  had  made  them 
familiar  with  the  idea  of  union  churches,  owned  by  the  two 
denominations,  and  used  alternatively  by  the  Reformed  and 
Lutherans.  The  denominational  barriers  between  the  Re- 
formed and  Lutheran  churches  during  that  period  were  almost 
obliterated  both  in  this  county  as  well  as  in  the  fatherland.  The 
beloved  German  tongue  made  a  bond  of  union  more  strong  than 
denominational  watchwords,  and  hence  the  pioneer  Reformed 
and  Lutherans  quickly  came  to  a  satisfactory  understanding, 
effected  a  suitable  form  of  organization,  took  possession  about 
1810  of  the  lots  which  had  been  dedicated  for  church  purposes, 
and  at  once  began  preparations  to  erect  a  little  church.  The 
people  were  all  poor  and  could  give  but  little  money ;  but  tim- 
ber was  plentiful  and  their  arms  were  strong,  and  the  folks 
donated  their  labor,  so  that  after  some  months  a  small  frame 
church  was  under  roof.  Even'  before  the  building  was  plas- 
tered and  the  interior  had  been  finished  the  first  services  were 
held.  This  modest  house  of  worship  served  the  two  congrega- 
tions as  a  church-home  for  about  thirteen  years. 

Unfortunately  all  the  church  records  of  this  period  have 
been  lost,  and  it  is  no  longer  possible  from  contemporary  doc- 
uments to  give  the  exact  dates  when  each  congregation  was 
organized,  or  the  union  of  the  two  took  place.  Neither  has 
the  date  when  the  first  church-building  was  begun  or  finished 
come  down  to  us,  nor  the  time  and  the  details  of  the  dedica- 
tion. Since  the  date  1810  for  the  beginning  of  the  church 
enterprise  is  well  authenticated  in  the  history  of  Canton,  and 
since  necessarily  the  two  congregations  must  have  had  some 
form  of  organization  before  the  union  building  project  could 
have  begun ;  it  appears  certain  that  the  date  1810  cannot  be  too 
early  for  the  organization  of  the  First  Reformed  Church. 

The  author  of  this  history  has  gone  carefully  through 
thousands  of  pages  of  the  first  English  and  German  news- 
papers published  in  Canton  with  the  hope  of  finding  definite 
dates  for  the  organization  of  the  congregation  and  the  building 
of  the  first  church.  The  search,  however,  was  in  vain. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  "Synod  of  the  German  Reformed 


10  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,"  the  congregations  of 
Columbiana  and  Stark  County  are  mentioned  early.  In  1809 
three  congregations  sent  a  request  to  the  Synod  to  be  supplied 
with  a  regular  minister.  As  there  was  no  minister  available, 
the  synod  could  only  resolve,  "That  these  congregations  be 
replied  to  by  letter  and  have  encouragement  extended  to  them." 
Three  years  passed  by  and  still  no  minister  could  be  sent.  Then 
in  1812,  the  Synod  resolved  to  send  certain  ministers  into  that 
western  country  in  order  to  visit  the  members  of  our  church 
residing  there,  and  offered  to  pay  their  expenses.  Once  more 
nothing  came  of  it.  Again  the  following  year  there  came  to 
the  Synod  from  Ohio,  "Several  requests  and  calls  from  desti- 
tute congregations  and  neighborhoods  in  which  their  sad  con- 
dition on  account  of  the  want  of  the  ordinary  means  of  grace 
was  very  feelingly  portrayed."  One  of  these  urgent  petitions 
came  from  congregations  in  Stark  County.  The  congrega- 
tions referred  to  were  Canton  and  Warstler's  for  certain  and 
probably  also  Sherman's.  Again  the  Synod  had  to  answer  that 
nothing  could  be  done  and  the  congregations  were  informed 
that  they  should  continue,  "To  hope  that  in  the  future  the 
Synod  would  be  able  to  send  them  missionaries."  The  Synod 
also  appointed  a  special  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  for  the 
sad  religious  condition  of  the  country. 

No  further  petitions  were  sent  to  the  Synod  from  Stark 
County.  The  members  of  the  Canton  and  the  surrounding 
congregations  were  now  being  visited,  at  long  intervals,  indeed, 
but  yet  regularly,  by  Rev.  John  Peter  Mahnenschmidt,  who  had 
removed  to  Ohio  in  1812. 

Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  in  a  brief  auto-biographical  sketch 
which  he  prepared,  has  left  a  number  of  interesting  glimpses 
of  religious  and  moral  conditions  as  he  found  them  in  the  var- 
ious communities  which  he  served.  The  people  had  been  so 
long  destitute  of  regular  religious  instruction,  and  the  youth 
especially  had  grown  up  with  so  very  few  opportunities  for 
hearing  the  Gospel  that,  "Wild  and  uncultivated  as  was  the 
country  itself,  so  were  also  the  inhabitants,  especially  the  youth. 
During  the  week  the  people  labored  on  their  farms,  and  the 


CANTON'S  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE  11 

Sabbath  was  devoted  to  hunting.  I  often  heard  the  report  of 
guns  on  the  Sabbath,  to  the  great  grief  of  my  heart,  while  rid- 
ing from  one  of  my  preaching  points  to  another.  These  things 
often  caused  the  silent  tear  to  start  as  I  rode  along  in  medita- 
tion. I  contended  against  this  evil  with  all  my  might  and  held 
before  them  the  sin  fulness  of  their  conduct.  There  were  also 
many  sinful  customs  prevalent  at  that  time.  Many  were  in  the 
habit  of  collecting  together  to  hold  shooting-matches  on  which 
occasion  there  was  often  much  drunkeness,  causing  shameful 
profanity  of  God's  name,  and  the  whole  seldom  ended  without 
a  fight.  Many  too  were  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  the  dance. 
Against  all  these  things  I  took  a  decided  stand ;  and  often  in 
no  smooth  or  measured  style  did  I  warn  them  against  these 
and  such  like  services  of  the  devil." 

Of  his  work  in  Canton,  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  has  one 
interesting  paragraph  which  must  also  be  quoted.  "I  preached 
to  a  very  large  number  of  persons  in  the  town-hall.  They 
pressed  me  very  earnestly  to  preach  for  them  regularly,  urging 
that  there  were  many  young  persons  who  ought  to  be  instructed 
and  confirmed."  It  would  appear  from  this  that  the  little 
union-church  was  too  small  to  hold  the  people  who  desired  to 
hear  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  at  that  time,  and  also  that  the  Re- 
formed congregations  of  Canton  and  vicinity  felt  able  to  sup- 
port their  own  minister.  Of  his  subsequent  work  in  Canton, 
Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  writes  further,  "At  this  place  there  was 
a  Lutheran  minister  with  .whom  I  had  before  been  acquainted 
who  offered  to  instruct  these  young  people  in  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism,  and  prepare  them  for  confirmation.  At  length  I 
received  a  letter  requesting  me  to  come  and  complete  their 
course  of  instruction  and  confirm  them.  When  I  arrived  I 
found  about  fifty  catechumens.  These,  however,  were  not  all 
young  persons;  there  were  among  them  fathers  and  mothers 
who  were  old  enough  to  be  my  parents.  I  held  catechetical 
instructions  with  them  for  one  week,  and  then  confirmed  them, 
and  administered  to  them  the  Holy  Communion,  while  many 
tears  of  joy  and  of  sorrow  were  shed.  I  also  afterwards  con- 
firmed thirty-odd  more  in  the  same  place." 


12  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  could  give  Canton  only  infrequent 
services.  His  field  was  very  large.  For  many  years  he  served 
ten  regular  congregations  besides  preaching  occasionally  at  a 
number  of  additional  points.  It  is  almost  inconceivable  how 
he  could  carry  the  burden  of  his  labors  for  so  long.  Of  the 
time  of  his  most  strenuous  activity  he  writes  feelingly,  "I  was 
at  this  time  a  young  man  (he  was  about  thirty  years  old)  ;  yet 
I  often  felt  exhausted,  having  no  rest  day  or  night." 

As  the  years  went  by  more  ministers  were  available  and 
Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  was  able  to  give  over  some  portions  of 
his  vast  field  to  younger  hands.  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  took 
charge  of  the  congregations  in  Canton  and  vicinity  in  1818; 
and  Rev.  Henry  Sonnendecker  served  another  large  portion  of 
the  field  lying  partly  in  Stark  and  in  Columbiana  County  from 
1820  on.  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  himself  retained  the  congre- 
gations lying  in  the  vicinity  of  North  Jackson  in  Mahoning 
County. 

The  additional  leisure  which  the  smaller  field  made  pos- 
sible was  used  partly  in  literary  work.  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt 
was  a  writer  of  more  than  ordinary  ability.  Sermons  and 
poems  came  readily  from  his  pen.  His  chief  literary  produc- 
tion, however,  which  has  come  down  to  us  was  an  edition  and 
arrangement  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  in  German.  This 
book  was  published  in  1834,  in  Canton  by  Peter  Kaufmann. 
It  was  extensively  used  by  the  Reformed  congregations  in  this 
section  of  Ohio.  Occasional  copies  may  still  be  found  in  some 
of  the  old  German  families.  In  the  course  of  time  this  modest 
catechism  was  entirely  forgotten.  In  the  year  1913,  Mrs.  M. 
M.  Herbst  of  Canton,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Kaufmann,  sent  a 
copy  to  the  author  of  this  history ;  and  later  also  presented  him 
with  a  number  of  additional  copies,  so  that  now  Mahnen- 
schmidt's  Catechism  will  be  preserved  in  the  libraries  of  two 
of  our  Educational  Institutions.  Mrs.  Herbst  still  lives  in  the 
old  Kaufmann  home  which  is  now  the  oldest  building  erected 
in  Canton.  In  the  attic  of  the  old  home  the  Catechisms  had 
peacefully  reposed  for  seventy-five  years. 

In  this  edition  of  the  Catechism,   Rev.   Mahnenschmidt 


CANTON'S  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE  13 

divided  all  the  longer  questions  into  several  parts,  and  inserted 
numerous  additional  questions  of  an  explanatory  nature.  The 
determination  to  publish  it  sprang  from  the  observation,  as  is 
stated  in  the  preface,  that  "It  appeared  to  be  too  difficult  for 
many  children  and  especially  the  young  folks  to  memorize  the 
entire  Catechism."  Therefore,  the  original  questions,  "Are 
simplified  so  that  thereby  they  may  become  more  intelligible 
and  retainable  for  the  understanding  and  memory  of  the 
youth." 

The  book  also  contains  much  additional  matter  of  value, 
such  as  a  brief  summary  of  the  three  parts  of  the  Catechism ; 
seventeen  pages  of  questions  and  answers  entitled,  "First  Milk 
of  Truth  for  Sucklings  in  Age  and  Understanding";  twenty 
pages  of  hymns  in  part  original;  prayers  and  scripture  selec- 
tions for  various  occasions ;  and  excerpts  from  Dr.  F.  A.  Lam- 
pe's  book  "Heiliger  Brautschmuck." 

The  work  is  excellently  done,  and  must  have  been  well 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  age  for  which  it  was  written.  As 
an  example  of  his  method  the  treatment  of  question  60  may  be 
taken,  which  in  the  original  is  long  and  difficult.  It  appears  as 
follows : 

How  do  we  become  righteous  before  God? 
Only  by  true  faith. — Rom.  5  :  1. 

What  is  true  faith? 

A  hearty  trust  that  God  is  gracious  to  me  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 

For  whose  sake  is  the  sinner  justified? 

For  the  sake  of  the  satisfaction  and  righteousness  of  Christ. 

How  is  the  sinner  justified  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ? 
The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  granted  the  sinner  by  God,  and 
reckoned  to  him  as  though  it  were  his  own. 

From  what  is  the  sinner  declared  free  by  virtue  of  this  j  ustification  ? 
From  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  sin. 

Of  what  is  he  assured? 

Of  the  right  to  everlasting  life. 

Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  thus  appears  to  us  as  an  able  writer, 
a  zealous  pastor,  an  effective  preacher,  and  withal  a  man  of 
unspotted  character  and  reputation.  He  was  able  to  stay  in 


14  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

the  harness  almost  to  the  end  of  his  life.  In  the  notice  of  his 
departure  the  papers  said  of  him,  "The  Rev.  John  Peter  Mah- 
nenschmidt  has  gone  to  his  blessed  reward.  .  .  .  He  was  very 
successful  in  winning  souls  to  Christ.  He  died  as  he  lived, 
firm  in  the  faith,  and  with  an  assurance  of  a  glorious  immor- 
tality." 

During  the  period  that  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  was  serving 
the  Canton  Church  the  little  village  increased  in  population 
until  in  1817  there  were  more  than  500  inhabitants.  In  the 
Canton  Repository  of  December  12,  1816  there  is  an  excellent 
description  of  the  village,  its  business  places,  and  its  future 
expectations.  This  description  bears  the  title,  "Topographical 
View  of  Canton,  Ohio."  Since  it  throws  so  much  light  upon 
the  conditions  amid  which  the  Reformed  people  were  trying  to 
establish  a  congregation,  and  also  because  it  is  worth  preserv- 
ing for  its  historical  interest,  it  may  fittingly  be  placed  at  the 
close  of  this  chapter. 

"Canton  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  eminence  which  rises  in 
the  midst  of  an  extensive  plain.  Excellent  well  water  may  eas- 
ily be  obtained  on  the  highest  ground ;  and  the  town,  though 
formerly  somewhat  subject  to  fever  and  ague,  is  now  by  the 
draining  off  of  stagnant  water,  rendered  wholly  free  from  that 
disorder. 

"On  the  east  and  west  side  of  the  town  flow  the  two  branch- 
es of  the  Nimishillon,  which  form  a  junction  about  one  and 
one-fourth  mile  south  of  the  town ;  to  which  point  it  is  believed 
the  Nimishillon  will  be  declared  navigable.  These  branches 
are  crossed  by  four  bridges,  two  of  which  are  200  feet  in 
length  and  of  a  good  construction.  A  small  stream  of  water 
(Shriver's  Run)  runs  directly  through  the  town  which  drives 
a  fulling  mill,  waters  three  tan  yards  and  then  passes  off  to  the 
Nimishillon.  The  shortest  distance  to  the  Tuscarawas  River 
is  eight  miles,  and  to  the  Cuyahoga  twenty-five.  The  distance 
between  the  heads  of  navigation  on  these  rivers  is  about  eight 
miles,  and  there  is  a  considerable  pond  about  midway  of  these 
points  which  sends  out  a  stream  to  each  river. 

"The  first  house  in  Canton  was  erected  in  the  summer  of 


15 

1806.  The  population  at  this  time  is  about  500.  There  is  at 
present  a  temporary  courthouse  and  jail,  but  the  foundation  is 
laid  for  a  new  and  elegant  Court-House,  44  by  44  feet.  Can- 
ton contains  a  printing  office  and  news-paper  establishment, 
two  houses  for  religious  worship,  one  for  the  German  Luth- 
erans and  one  for  the  Presbyterians  ;*  a  bank  with  a  capital 
of  $100,000.00;  nine  stores  which  employ  a  capital  stock  of 
fifty-five  or  sixty  thousand  dollars;  four  taverns;  four  tan- 
yards,  three  of  which  are  in  operation  and  possess  the  advan- 
tage of  large  capitals ;  one  nail  manufactory ;  one  of  tin  and 
copper ;  two  of  hats ;  one  blacksmith  shop  on  a  large  scale ;  one 
clock  and  watch-maker;  one  gun-smith;  three  saddlers;  three 
cabinet  makers ;  two  wheelwrights  and  chairmakers  ;  one  chair- 
maker  and  painter ;  five  shoe-makers ;  three  tailors ;  a  pottery 
and  a  number  of  house-carpenters  and  joiners.  Within  four 
miles  of  the  town  are  seven  grist-mills,  three  saw-mills,  one 
oil-well,  one  fulling  mill,  and  two  carding  machines  for  wool 
and  cotton. 

"It  is  believed  that  a  mason,  a  cooper,  a  brewer,  one  or  two 
more  black-smiths  and  shoemakers  would  find  a  sufficiency  of 
business  here.  Some  lots  in  the  town-plot  remain  unsold  which 
can  now  be  purchased  to  advantage.  The  population  of  the 
county  is  between  seven  and  eight  thousand  and  constantly 
increasing.  Many  judicious  persons  believe  that  Canton  holds 
out  a  flattering  prospect  to  men  of  enterprise." 

If  the  "judicious  persons"  referred  to  could  come  back 
and  see  the  Canton  of  today  with  its  amazing  diversity  of 
industries  and  business  enterprises ;  and  its  large  and  splendid 
church  edifices  and  congregations,  they  would  certainly  feel 
proud  of  their  prophetic  judgment,  and  could  boastfully  de- 
clare :  We  told  you  so. 


*  The  writer  of  this  description  is  evidently  confused  here.  He 
calls  the  German  Reformed  congregation,  Presbyterian.  This  was  a 
common  error  among  the  English  at  that  time.  We  also  know  that  the 
two  congregations  occupied  the  same  house  of  worship,  not  two  separate 
buildings  as  stated.  There  was  no  other  church-building  in  Canton  at 
that  time. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  FIRST  RESIDENT  MINISTER 

IT  was  a  day  of  rejoicing  in  the  history  of  the  struggling 
Reformed  congregations  in  Canton  and  vicinity  when  the 
message  was  received  that  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  would  accept 
their  call  and  become  the  first  resident  pastor. 

Benjamin  Faust  was  born  in  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania, 
(In  the  baptism  certificate  still  in  possession  of  the  Faust  fam- 
ily, the  name  of  the  state  is  spelled  Pinselfane)  on  November 
19,  1797.  When  the  lad  was  only  nine  years  old,  the  family 
moved  to  Ohio  and  settled  in  Canfield,  Trumbull  County.  Edu- 
cational facilities  were  very  few  in  those  days,  and  the  farm 
and  the  forest  were  insistent  in  their  demands  for  work,  still 
young  Benjamin  managed  to  secure  the  first  elements  of  an 
English  education.  A  story  from  his  youth  has  been  preserved 
which  is  worth  recording.  One  day  while  working  in  the  for- 
est with  a  companion  (John  Geisweid)  Benjamin  broke  the 
middle  finger  of  his  left  hand.  The  injury  seemed  very  dan- 
gerous to  the  two  lads  and  help  was  far  off.  Hence,  after  a 
few  moments  of  earnest  consultation  the  decision  was  reached 
that  heroic  methods  must  be  applied,  and  an  immediate  ampu- 
tation was  imperative.  So  Benjamin  laid  his  finger  on  a  stump 
and  Geisweid  with  one  neat  stroke  severed  the  finger  from  the 
hand. 

Previous  to  this  already,  young  Faust  had  expressed  a 
desire  to  give  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  The  phy- 
sical handicap  which  the  loss  of  the  finger  laid  upon  him  prob- 
ably also  had  its  influence;  for  the  following  year  (1814)  he 
began  the  study  of  theology  in  earnest  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  J.  P.  Mahnenschmidt.  The  next  four  years  were  spent 
in  teaching  district  school  in  Springfield  Twp.,  Columbiana 
County,  conducting  singing  schools  and  continuing  his  prepa- 
ration for  the  ministry.  His  theological  studies  were  directed 

16 


SIGNATURES  OF  ALL  THE  PASTORS    OF  THE  FIRST 
REFORMED   CHURCH 


THE  FIRST  RESIDENT  MINISTER  17 

by  Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  and  Rev.  John  Staugh,  the  Lutheran 
minister  who  had  conducted  the  first  religious  services  in  Can- 
ton. Young  Faust  also  made  occasional  addresses  and  Gospel 
talks  as  the  opportunity  offered.  In  1818  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  the  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  holy  ministry.  Rev. 
Mahnenschmidt  had  been  anxiously  awaiting  the  time  when 
he  could  turn  over  a  part  of  his  vast  field  to  another  man,  and 
hence  Rev.  Faust  took  charge  of  the  Stark  County  congrega- 
tions, serving  Canton,  Osnaburg,  Paris,  Martin's,  Sherman's, 
Zion's,  Bethlehem,  and  Heinrich's.  The  location  of  the  first 
three  congregations  is  familiar  to  all.  Martin's  congregation 
was  near  Mapleton.  Sherman's  is  in  Bethlehem  Twp.,  ten 
miles  southwest  of  Canton.  Zion's  was  near  New  Berlin. 
Bethlehem  was  in  Navarre.  Heinrich's  is  now  known  as  the 
Warstler  Church,  north  of  Canton.  Rev.  Faust  also  organized 
and  served  several  other  congregations. 

The  pastorate  began  in  1818,  probably  immediately  after 
he  had  been  licensed.  Two  important  events  occurred  in  1819, 
for  Rev.  Faust  was  both  ordained  and  married  during  the  year. 
The  Canton  Repository  of  April  30,  1819  has  the  following 
brief  notice:  "Married — On  the  15th  inst.,  by  the  Rev.  Antho- 
ny Weyer,  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  to  Miss  Nancy  Rank,  both 
of  the  vicinity  of  this  place."  Benjamin  was  a  few  months 
past  twenty-one,  while  Nancy  was  not  yet  seventeen.  They 
made  their  home  on  the  Georgetown  Road,  on  the  site  where 
their  grand  children  for  years  conducted  the  well-known  Faust 
greenhouses  and  nursery. 

The  condition  of  the  congregations  served  by  Rev.  Faust 
and  the  circumstances  of  the  people  have  been  indicated  in  the 
previous  chapter.  A  few  quotations  from  the  reminiscences 
of  Rev.  Henry  Sonnendecker  will  throw  additional  light  upon 
the  difficulties  that  had  to  be  faced.* 


*  Rev.  Henry  Sonnendecker  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Penn- 
sylvania in  1792.  He  was  licensed  and  ordained  by  the  Synod  of  the 
Reformed  Church  at  the  same  time  that  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  was.  Was 

2 


18  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

"The  members  of  our  church  which  were  scattered  here 
and  there,  in  the  mostly  uncultivated  wilds,  living  in  small  huts, 
were  like  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and  without  meadows  and 
flowing  waters.  Who  would  not  have  taken  pity  upon  these 
lambs  of  Jesus?"  Where  no  church  buildings  had  yet  been 
erected,  he  says,  "We  contented  ourselves  with  worshiping  in 
private  houses,  school-houses,  and  barns.  Nay,  sometimes 
even  the  sacrament  was  administered  in  barns ;  but  even  here 
the  Lord  blessed  his  people,  and  permitted  them  to  feel  that 
he  is  bound  to  no  locality  but  is  everywhere  present,  wherever 
men  will  call  upon  him."  In  the  northwest  corner  of  Wayne 
County  was  a  small  union-church  served  by  Rev.  Faust,  and 
Rev.  Anthony  Weyer.*  Of  this  he  says,  "The  members  of 
the  two  congregations  had  built  themselves  a  small,  log-church, 
which  as  yet,  however,  contained  neither  pulpit,  altar,  nor  prop- 
er seats.  It  was,  indeed,  no  very  large,  splendid  or  costly 
building,  still  the  young  congregation  was  well  satisfied  with 
it,  and  the  Lord  was  pleased  also  to  look  graciously  down  upon 
us  and  bless  his  precious  word  to  the  upbuilding  of  his  congre- 
gation." 

The  territory  covered  by  the  one  synod  that  the  Reformed 
Church  had  at  this  time  was  so  large  that  in  1819  it  was  divided 


pastor  in  Wayne  County  (Wooster,  etc.,)  and  Stark  County,  from 
1820-1831,  and  in  Columbiana  County  1831-1851,  and  died  at  North 
Lima,  Ohio,  October  16,  1851.  Mr.  Sonnendecker  received  his  first 
religious  impressions  from  Rev.  John  Peter  Mahnenschmidt  and  in  early 
life  was  greatly  influenced  by  the  missionary  and  evangelistic  zeal  of 
Mahnenschmidt,  and  prepared  himself  for  the  holy  ministry  under  his 
direction.  In  1818-1819  Rev.  Sonnendecker  made  a  number  of  trips 
through  Stark  County  and  four  neighboring  counties.  Scattered  con- 
gregations and  groups  of  Reformed  believers  were  hunted  up  and  the 
sacraments  were  administered.  These  reminiscenses  were  published  in 
the  "Western  Missionary"  in  1849.  The  quotations  given  refer  espe- 
cially to  experiences  made  upon  his  missionary  trips  in  1818-1819. 

*  Rev.  Anthony  Weyer  was  the  first  resident  minister  in  Canton. 
He  took  charge  of  the  Lutheran  congregations  in  Canton  and  vicinity  in 
1812,  and  served  the  union  Reformed  and  Lutheran  congregations  until 
his  death  in  1829.  He  was  thus  closely  associated  with  both  Rev.'s  Mah- 
nenschmidt and  Faust. 


THE  FIRST  RESIDENT  MINISTER  19 

into  districts,  and  in  1820  an  Ohio  Classis  was  formed.  Of  the 
five  ministers  present  at  the  organization  two,  that  is,  Rev.  J. 
P.  Mahnenschmidt,  and  Rev.  B.  Faust  had  been  associated 
with  the  Canton  congregation.  The  others  were  Revs.  H.  Son- 
nendecker,  Geo.  Weiss  and  Thomas  Winters.  The  elder  from 
the  Canton  Church  was  George  Wirtz.  The  new  classis  in- 
cluded five  ministers,  fifty  congregations,  and  about  1800  mem- 
bers. The  Canton  charge  alone  had  ten  congregations  and 
about  300  who  had  communed  during  the  year.  The  actual 
number  of  members  enrolled  must  therefore  have  been  at  least 
four  or  five  hundred.  The  Canton  charge  thus  constituted 
about  one-fourth  of  the  new  classis. 

Rev.  Faust  reported  that  he  had  baptized  191  children, 
confirmed  100  young  people  and  buried  24  persons  during  the 
preceding  year.  There  were  also  eight  Sunday  Schools  in  the 
charge.  As  it  was  impossible  for  the  pastor  to  visit  the  con- 
gregations oftener  than  once  in  several  weeks,  the  Sunday 
School  meeting  with  a  sermon  read  occasionally  by  some  suit- 
able person  served  to  hold  the  people  together. 

The  Ohio  Classis  met  in  Canton  in  1821.  The  church 
proved  too  small  to  hold  the  people,  and  therefore  the  religious 
services  and  business  meetings  had  to  be  held  in  the  courthouse. 
The  Canton  charge  reported  an  increase  of  communicants  to 
540. 

The  statistical  reports  of  the  charge  are  very  incomplete 
during  the  first  quarter  century  and  frequently  are  altogether 
missing.  Enough  are  still  on  record,  however,  to  show  a  steady 
and  gratifying  increase  from  year  to  year.  In  the  summing  up 
of  the  reports  of  the  pastors  to  the  classis,  there  appears  an 
almost  unanimous  tone  of  joy  and  gratitude.  Such  expres- 
sions as,  "Peace  and  unity  prevailed  in  the  congregations," 
"The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  was  attended  with  the  divine 
blessing,"  "New  congregations  were  gathered,"  and  others  of 
the  same  tenor  occur  each  year. 

Among  the  Church  customs  that  prevailed  in  the  Canton 
charge  at  that  time  and  for  a  long  period  thereafter,  mention 


20  FIRST  REFORMER  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

should  be  made  of  several  now  entirely  forgotten.  First,  the 
sexes  were  carefully  separated,  the  men  sitting  on  one  side  of 
the  aisle  and  the  women  on  the  other ;  and,  woe,  unto  the  luck- 
less individual  that  did  not  heed  the  unwritten  law.  His 
strange  conduct  furnished  fruitful  material  for  discussion  for 
many  weeks — especially  for  the  women.  Second,  the  singing 
would  strike  us  as  most  peculiar  now.  There  was  no  organ, 
and  hymnbooks  were  very  scarce.  Hence  the  minister  was 
obliged  to  read  the  hymn  line  by  line,  pausing  between  lines 
while  the  congregation  sang  the  line  read.  Third,  the  deacons 
and  elders  invariably  sat  in  the  pews  placed  besides  the  pulpit. 
These  were  considered  as  seats  of  peculiar  honor.  From  there 
the  entire  audience  was  in  plain  view,  and  any  disturbance  or 
inattention  was  sternly  suppressed.  Fourth,  the  funerals  were 
very  simple  occasions.  An  undertaker  and  a  hearse  were 
unheard  of  luxuries.  Kindhearted  friends  and  willing  neigh- 
bors gladly  volunteered  their  services.  They  washed  and 
dressed  the  body  and  laid  it  into  the  coffin,  rudely  made  by  the 
village  carpenter.  The  coffin  was  carried  to  the  grave  by  four 
men,  often  on  their  shoulders.  If  the  distance  was  too  far,  a 
second  relay  of  four  would  take  turns  at  carrying. 

Canton  at  this  time  was  still  a  straggly  village  in  the  back 
woods.  There  were  but  few  roads  and  these  were  generally 
in  a  miserable  condition.  Walking  and  horseback  riding  were 
the  general  mode  of  locomotion.  Under  these  circumstances 
there  was  no  market  for  the  produce  which  was  raised  in  the 
community.  Everything  was  sold  at  ridiculously  low  prices. 
Eggs  were  four  cents  a  dozen,  butter  six  cents  a  pound,  oats 
sold  at  twelve  cents,  corn  at  fifteen,  and  wheat  at  twenty-five 
cents  a  bushel.  Very  little  money  circulated.  Exchange  was 
mostly  by  barter.  The  people  generally  were  very  poor. 

The  village  of  Canton  itself  presented  an  ill-kept  appear- 
ance, as  is  clear  from  the  following  notice  which  appeared  in 
the  Canton  Repository  in  the  spring  of  1821,  by  order  of  the 
constable : 


THE  FIRST  RESIDENT  MINISTER  21 

CLEAR  THE  STREETS! 

"The  subscriber  once  more  requests  that  the 
citizens  of  Canton  would  remove  their  woodpiles 
from  off  the  streets.  Those  who  do  not  comply 
with  this  request  in  a  short  time  will  be  dealt  with 
as  the  law  directs,  without  respect  of  persons." 

An  incident  from  the  life  of  Rev.  Faust  further  illustrates 
the  general  poverty  of  the  times.  In  1822,  he  was  sent  as  del- 
egate to  the  Synod  which  was  to  meet  in  Harrisburg,  Pa.  The 
journey  of  350  miles  had  to  be  made  on  horseback  and  by  stage 
coach.  This  mode  of  traveling  was  too  strenuous  and  some- 
where in  Pennsylvania  Mr.  Faust  fell  seriously  ill.  For  sev- 
eral weeks  he  was  under  the  care  of  a  physician.  When  his 
money  was  all  gone  he  had  to  borrow  to  get  back  home  and 
arrived  there  thirty  dollars  in  debt.  The  following  year  the 
Synod  being  notified  of  his  sad  circumstances  (traurigen  Um- 
'staenden)  took  up  an  offering  of  $19.15  for  his  benefit.  Three 
years  later  by  a  special  resolution,  the  new  Synod  of  Ohio  also 
gave  him  permission  to  retain  the  offerings  which  the  congre- 
gations were  required  to  take  up  each  year  for  the  expenses 
of  the  Synod,  and  apply  them  to  the  discharging  of  his  indebt- 
edness. It  took  four  years  until  these  synodical  offerings 
amounted  to  the  $30.00.  It  will  be  interesting  to  note  from 
what  small  beginnings  our  congregational  offerings  have 
grown,  and  therefore  the  figures  are  here  appended :  1824, 
$7.00 ;  1825,  $10.75 ;  1826,  $6.37^  ;  1827,  $5.87. 

The  reader  must  keep  in  mind  that  during  these  years,  the 
Canton  congregation  was  exerting  every  energy  to  complete 
the  new  church  and  pay  off  their  indebtedness.  Hence,  the 
very  small  offerings  for  other  purposes. 


CHAPTER  IV 
RELOCATING  AND  BUILDING 

THE  first  church  building  was  occupied  by  the  Reformed 
and  Lutherans  for  about  twelve  years.  Towards  the 
end  of  this  period  a  sentiment  for  relocating  gradually  devel- 
oped. Several  reasons  had  arisen  to  make  a  relocation  desir- 
able. It  seems  that  the  majority  of  the  members  lived  east  of 
town  and  therefore  the  location  of  a  new  church  more  than 
half  a  mile  farther  east  would  be  more  convenient.  Further- 
more, the  old  building  was  entirely  too  small  to  accommodate 
the  growing  congregations ;  and  it  was  necessary  for  all  spec- 
ial services  to  forsake  the  church  and  go  to  the  large  hall  in 
the  courthouse.  The  chief  reason,  however,  lay  in  the  fact 
that  other  denominations  were  preparing  to  organize  congre- 
gations in  Canton,  and  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  people 
feared  that  another  church  might  be  erected  on  the  plot  of 
ground  which  Bezaleel  Wells  had  dedicated,  "For  a  House  of 
Worship."  In  fact,  it  was  believed  that  any  other  cangrega- 
tion  might  claim  the  right  to  make  use  of  the  old  church  and 
even  of  the  new,  if  it  were  erected  on  the  old  site. 

These  considerations  were  sufficient  to  cause  the  two  con- 
gregations to  appoint  a  committee  to  draw  up  "Articles  of 
Union  and  Association."  These  were  approved  by  each  con- 
gregation and  signed  by  the  joint  committee  on  June  5,  1822. 
This  committee  consisted  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust,  Rev. 
Anthony  Weyer,  Fred  Albright,  George  Wirt  and  Jacob  Rupp. 

A  satisfactory  location  was  soon  selected  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  village  to  the  east,  on  the 
site  where  the  First  Reformed  Church  and  the  First  Lutheran 
Church  and  the  two  parsonages  are  now  located.  The  land 
was  bought  from  Bezaleel  Wells  for  $80  and  was  198  by  396 
feet  in  size.  The  deed  is  dated  May  16,  1823  (but  it  was  not 
recorded  until  October  6,  1825)  and  contains  the  following 
provisions,  "For  the  sole  use  and  benefit  and  behoof  of  the 

22 


RELOCATING  AND  BUILDING  23 

said  United  Congregations  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  and 
Evangelical  Reformed  Churches,  to  be  by  them  occupied  and 
enjoyed  in  common  for  the  purposes  of  erecting  and  preparing 
thereon  a  house  of  public  worship,  a  schoolhouse,  and  a  cem- 
etery or  burying  ground  in  conformity  to  the  articles  of  union 
and  association  between  the  said  Evangelical  Lutheran  and 
Evangelical  Reformed  Churches."  George  Wirt  and  George 
Snider  were  the  trustees  of  the  United  Congregations. 

Material  and  money  for  the  new  church  were  rapidly  sub- 
scribed, the  labor  also  was  largely  donated,  and  in  about  a 
year's  time  the  building  was  ready  for  use.  The  members  in 
their  poverty  could  give  only  small  sums,  the  funds  collected 
were  not  sufficient  to  completely  finish  and  furnish  the  new 
church,  hence  it  was  used  more  than  five  years  before  it  was 
finally  finished.  No  details  of  the  service  of  dedication  have 
come  down  to  us.  Even  the  date  of  dedication  is  doubtful. 

The  new  church  was  erected  at  the  east  end  of  the  tract 
purchased,  on  the  site  where  the  Lutheran  Church  now  stands. 
It  was  a  brick  building,  almost  square,  and  very  high.  The 
interior  would  doubtlessly  strike  present  day  church  goers  as 
rather  odd.  A  gallery  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the  floor  ran 
around  the  east,  south,  and  west  sides.  The  pulpit  was  on  the 
north  side  and  was  raised  to  the  level  of  the  gallery.  A  steep, 
narrow  stairway  with  a  railing  led  up  to  the  pulpit  on  one  side. 
The  pulpit  itself  was  so  small  that  only  two  persons  could 
occupy  it  at  the  same  time.  Over  the  pulpit  a  canopy  of  wood 
was  fastened.  This  canopy  was  painted  blue  on  the  lower  side 
to  represent  the  sky.  Above  the  canopy  was  a  huge  yellow 
star.  The  pews  were  most  primitive  in  style.  The  end  piece 
was  square  at  the  top,  and  the  backs  were  nailed  on  straight  up 
and  down.  The  seat  also  was  straight  and  level.  The  design- 
ers of  the  pews  evidently  planned  to  make  the  seats  so  uncom- 
fortable that  the  brethren  would  have  to  stay  awake  from  sheer 
physical  discomfort.  After  the  church  was  finally  completed 
the  demand  arose  for  a  better  seat,  and  more  comfortable  pews 
were  installed. 

The  church  was  warmed  by  two  great  stoves  heated  with 


24  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

wood.  Large  logs  reposed  beside  the  stove,  and  were  fed  to 
the  flames  as  necessary.  Originally  home-made  candles  fur- 
nished the  light  for  such  evening  services  as  were  held.  The 
earlier  reports  of  evening  services  frequently  speak  of  meet- 
ings by  candle-light.  Later  oil-lamps  were  introduced.  Three 
entrances  led  into  the  church,  a  door  being  located  in  the  exact 
middle  of  the  east,  the  west,  and  the  south  sides.  One  path  led 
straight  east  to  Herbruck  Court;  another  ran  in  a  slanting 
direction  until  it  emerged  on  Tuscarawas  Street  at  the  point 
where  the  dividing  line  between  the  Reformed  and  the  Luthe- 
ran Church  property  is  now  located. 

The  remainder  of  the  lot  not  occupied  by  the  church 
building  served  as  a  cemetery  for  over  forty  years.  The  dead 
of  both  congregations  were  buried  there  and  also  occasionally 
non-church  members.  It  would  seem  that  at  a  later  period  the 
Reformed  Consistory  was  especially  lenient  in  granting  permis- 
sion to  bury  those  who  were  not  members  of  the  congregation. 
This  led  to  a  vigorous  protest  in  1854  from  the  Lutheran  con- 
gregation, which  resolved  to  notify  the  Reformed  that  "As  the 
deed  for  the  church  ground  gives  the  right  to  a  burial-place 
only  to  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  congregations,  we  are  of 
the  opinion  that  the  burial  ground,  in  harmony  with  the  pro- 
visions of  the  deed,  shall  be  only  for  the  use  of  the  congrega- 
tions, and  the  Secretary  is  to  notify  the  Reformed  Consistory 
to  this  effect,  so  that  they  may  also  act  according  to  the  provi- 
sions of  the  deed." 

Two  movements  were  developing  in  the  Reformed  congre- 
gations during  this  period.  The  one  aimed  to  foster  the  Re- 
formed interests  with  greater  zeal ;  the  other  strove  to  effect  a 
complete  union  with  the  Lutheran  church.  The  first  move- 
ment, in  1824,  led  to  the  formation  of  an  independent  Ohio 
Synod.  The  Ohio  Classis  met  that  year  in  New  Philadelphia 
in  the  courthouse  of  Tuscarawas  County.  After  a  long  dis- 
cussion it  was  unanimously  decided  to  declare  the  Ohio  Classis 
an  independent  Synod  with  the  name  "The  High  German, 
Evangelical-Reformed  Synod  of  Ohio."  Several  reasons  were 
stated  for  taking  this  vital  step,  such  as:  the  refusal  of  the 


RELOCATING  AND  BUILDING  25 

Synod  to  permit  the  Ohio  Classis  to  ordain  its  own  candidates 
for  the  ministry,  and  demanding  the  long  journey  to  the  east 
to  be  examined  and  ordained;  the  demands  of  the  religious 
conditions  in  Ohio  which  made  immediate  help  imperative ;  the 
long  and  expensive  journeys  over  the  mountains;  the  feeling 
that  the  money  which  their  long  journey  required  had  better  be 
spent  in  Ohio  for  the  good  of  the  Church. 

Rev.  Faust,  who  was  still  saving  to  pay  off  the  debt  in- 
curred on  his  disastrous  journey  to  the  Synod  in  1822,  was 
enthusiastically  in  favor  of  the  organization  of  the  new  "Synod 
of  Ohio."  The  Ohio  Synod  at  its  organization  had  only  eight 
ministers  present,  among  them  were  J.  P.  Mahnenschmidt,  B. 
Faust,  Henry  Sonnendecker  and  William  Reiter,  a  young 
clergyman  whom  Rev.  Faust  had  aided  in  preparing  for  the 
ministry.  Eleven  ministers  representing  about  sixty  congre- 
gations, and  2500  members  entered  the  new  organization.  Of 
this  number  the  Canton  charge  alone  furnished  ten  congrega- 
tions, ten  Sunday  Schools,  and  about  600  members;  that  is, 
one-sixth  of  the  congregations,  and  about  one- fourth  of  the 
members.  Race  suicide  was  not  yet  a  problem  in  those  days  as 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  there  were  286  baptisms  in  the 
Canton  charge  during  the  preceding  three  years. 

The  second  movement  aimed  to  effect  an  organic  union 
with  the  Lutheran  Church.  Some  of  the  pastors  had  followed 
their  theological  studies  partly  under  the  direction  of  Lutheran 
ministers,  and  felt  very  fraternal  towards  the  Lutheran  minis- 
try as  a  consequence.  Others  were  serving  union-congrega- 
tions and  the  relation  was  proving  pleasant  and  profitable ; 
hence  arose  the  desire  for  a  permanent,  organic  union  of  the 
two  denominations.  The  Ohio  Synod  sent  two  delegates  reg- 
ularly to  the  Lutheran  Synod  of  Ohio  and  received  their  del- 
egates. The  same  number  of  copies  of  the  minutes  of  the  Ohio 
Synod  was  sent  to  the  Lutheran  Synod,  as  was  sent  to  the 
Eastern  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  the  minutes  of 
the  Lutheran  Synod  as  well  as  of  the  Eastern  Synod  were 
examined  regularly  by  a  committee  whose  duty  it  was  to  report 
on  items  which  might  interest  the  Ohio  Synod.  These  efforts 


28  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

were  kept  up  for  a  decade  and  more;  but  gradually  as  the 
Reformed  consciousness  became  clearer,  the  movement  waned 
and  then  died.  In  the  Canton  charge  the  feeling  of  close  rela- 
tionship to  the  Lutherans  survived  long  after  it  had  died  in  the 
denomination  at  large. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  Canton  charge  all  the  services 
were  conducted  in  the  German  language.  As  soon  as  the  min- 
utes of  the  Ohio  Synod  were  also  printed  in  English  (this 
occurred  for  the  first  time  in  1826),  Rev.  Faust  also  asked  for 
a  certain  number  of  English  copies.  This  number  was  in- 
creased from  year  to  year,  indicating  a  gradual  coming  in  of 
the  English  in  some  of  the  congregations. 

During  this  period  Rev.  Faust  displayed  a  remarkable 
missionary  zeal.  The  names  of  several  new  congregations  are 
recorded,  such  as,  Schaber's,  Paulus,  Peter's,  Israels  and 
Union.  Additional  Sunday  Schools  were  also  organized, 
bringing  the  number  up  to  fifteen.  For  several  years  more 
Sunday  Schools  were  conducted  in  the  charge  than  there  were 
congregations.  It  is  evident  that  Rev.  Faust  started  Sunday 
Schools  in  every  locality  where  he  preached  occasionally,  even 
before  conditions  were  ripe  for  organizing  a  congregation. 

On  the  front  page  of  the  oldest  church-record  that  is  still 
in  the  possession  of  our  congregation  two  interesting  notes  are 
written.  The  first  refers  to  the  purchase  of  the  book  as  fol- 
lows, "This  book  belongs  to  the  Reformed  congregation  of 
Canton,  Stark  County,  Ohio.  It  was  bought  January  1,  1829. 
Until  then  the  Reformed  and  Lutherans  ("Luderaner,"  as  it  is 
spelled)  had  a  common  church-book.  This  book  was  paid  for 
from  offerings  of  the  Reformed  Church.  Into  this  book  will 
be  entered  the  baptized,  confirmed,  communed,  etc."  The  price 
of  the  book  is  given  as  $2.12^.  It  is  most  unfortunate  that 
the  first  church-record,  which  the  two  congregations  kept  in 
common,  has  been  lost.  Neither  the  Reformed  nor  the  Luth- 
eran people  have  any  record  as  to  the  disposition  which  was 
made  of  it.  The  historical  data  which  it  must  have  contained 
would  be  simply  invaluable  at  the  present  time  for  establishing 
the  precise  facts  concerning  the  organization  of  the  congrega- 


RELOCATING  AND  BUILDING  27 

tions,  the  building  and  cost  of  the  churches,  and  other  items 
which  with  our  present  meager  knowledge  can  only  be  guessed 
at. 

The  second  note  refers  to  a  disastrous  storm  which  swept 
over  Canton  in  1829,  during  which  lightning  struck  the  church 
and  created  a  great  deal  of  damage.  This  was  especially  hard 
for  the  congregation  as  the  building  was  still  but  incompletely 
furnished,  and  a  debt  yet  rested  upon  it.  This  experience 
made  such  an  impression  upon  people  and  pastor  that  the  fact 
and  the  date  were  put  on  record.  It  happened  July  18,  1829. 


CHAPTER  V 
FAUST  AS  PASTOR,  PREACHER,  AND  MAN 

IN  the  last  chapter  the  remarkable  activity  of  Rev.  Faust  as 
a  pastor  has  been  indicated.  Not  content  with  serving 
the  seven  or  eight  congregations  of  which  he  took  charge  when 
he  entered  upon  his  pastorate,  his  apostolic  spirit  was  mani- 
fested in  the  eagerness  with  which  he  sought  out  other  oppor- 
tunities of  service.  At  least  five  other  congregations  were 
gathered  through  his  efforts,  and  the  number  of  Sunday 
Schools  connected  with  the  parish  was  increased  to  fifteen. 
The  "Beobachter,"  a  German  weekly  newspaper  published  in 
Canton,  in  December  of  1827  had  a  notice  of  a  special  Sunday 
School  parade  to  be  held  on  New  Year's  Day.  After  the  par- 
ade a  speech  was  to  be  given  at  the  courthouse.  The  item 
further  stated  that,  "The  friends  and  enemies  of  the  movement 
are  courteously  invited  to  be  present."  Though  no  names  are 
given  it  appears  certain  that  Rev.  Faust  and  the  First  Re- 
formed Sunday  School  were  included. 

In  the  same  newspaper  about  a  month  later  mention  is 
made  of  the  organization  of  a  Stark  County  Bible  Society  with 
branch  societies  in  Canton,  Paris,  Waynesburg,  etc.  The  pur- 
pose of  the  society  is  stated  thus,  "This  society  relying  upon 
divine  assistance  will  put  forth  every  effort  to  supply  every 
family  in  Stark  County,  that  does  not  now  possess  a  copy  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  with  a  copy  during  the  next  three  years." 
Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  was  vice-president  of  the  county  organi- 
zation. The  society  succeeded  in  its  efforts  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  Bibles  was  put  into  the  homes  of  Stark  County. 
Throughout  his  life  Rev.  Faust  never  shielded  himself  but 
expended  time  and  energy  freely  even  beyond  the  limits  of  his 
own  congregation. 

As  a  preacher  he  was  accounted  a  speaker  of  eloquence 
and  power.  Intense  earnestness  and  vehement  action  charac- 
terized his  delivery.  This  prodigal  expenditure  of  physical 

28 


SERMON  OUTLINE  OF  REV.  FAUST 

M>it>  in  possess/on  oA  F/rs/  Reformed  Church.    Only  one  other  is  known  to  be  in  existence. 

As  the  paper  had  been  folded,  the  upper  half  containing  the  record 

of  several  births  and  baptisms  is  reversed. 


FAUST  AS  PASTOR,  PREACHER,  AND  MAN  29 

and  nervous  energy  and  the  hardships  incident  to  serving  so 
large  a  field  literally  wore  him  out,  and  his  health  was  broken 
down  at  an  age  when  he  should  have  been  in  his  prime.  Judg- 
ing by  several  sermon  outlines  which  have  been  preserved,  Rev. 
Faust  was  a  clear,  forcible,  logical  thinker.  Though  his  edu- 
cational advantages  had  been  rather  meager,  he  made  the  most 
of  the  talent  entrusted  to  him.  It  would  seem,  however,  that 
opportunity  had  been  denied  him  to  master  the  intricacies  of 
German  orthography.  In  the  formation  of  his  letters  he  dis- 
plays a  real  genius  in  the  originality  of  his  designs ;  in  capital- 
ization and  spelling  an  amazing  independence  of  recognized 
standards  is  in  evidence.  But  in  his  sermons  there  was  sub- 
stance and  heart,  as  the  two  outlines  which  are  given  will  dem- 
onstrate. 

John  3 :  16-21.    Gospel  Lesson  for  Monday  after  Pentecost. 
Text.    Verse  16.     "God  so  loved  the  world  — 

Theme.     The  Foundation  of  our  Saving  Faith. 
1.  It  is  laid  in  the  love  of  God. 
II.  It  demands  faith,  not  personal  merits. 
III.  It  gives  a  great  promise. 

The  above  outline  in  the  handwriting  of  Rev.  Faust  is  pre- 
served as  a  precious  relic  by  his  descendants.  The  second  out- 
line given  below  was  written  upon  a  loose  sheet  of  paper  and 
was  found  lying  between  the  pages  of  the  church  record  pur- 
chased in  1829  by  the  Reformed  congregation. 

Text.    Thess.  5 :  6.    "So  then  let  us  not  sleep,  as  do  the  rest,  but 

let  us  watch  and  be  sober." 
I.  The  sleep  of  sin  into  which  all  have  fallen. 
II.  The  awakening  which  is  necessary. 
III.  The  watchfulness  which  is  imperative. 

As  a  man  Benjamin  Faust  stood  high  in  his  congregations, 
in  the  community,  and  in  the  Synod.  His  early  death  at  the 
age  of  only  thirty-five  was  felt  as  a  great  loss  to  the  church  in 
Ohio.  Only  once,  so  far  as  the  writer  has  been  able  to  find, 
did  the  Ohio  Synod  pass  a  special  resolution  commemorating 
the  death  of  one  of  its  members  or  put  into  its  minutes  a  beau- 


30  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O 

tiful  eulogy  in  referring  to  that  member.  That  one  exception 
occurred  at  the  death  of  Rev.  Faust.  The  Synod  thus  bore 
witness  to  the  great  respect  and  love  in  which  he  was  univer- 
sally held.  The  resolution  of  the  Synod  was  as  follows : 

"Synod  also  called  to  mind  the  blessed  death  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
Faust,  of  Canton,  Ohio,  a  warm  friend  and  worthy  member  of  our 
Synod,  who  now  no  more  needs  our  praise  for  his  faithfulness  and 
toils,  having  been  translated  beyond  the  scenes  of  earth,  to  receive,  in 
a  better  life,  the  reward  of  his  labors.  He  left  behind  him  a  wife  be- 
loved, children  not  yet  grown  up,  relatives,  a  number  of  esteemed  and 
beloved  congregations,  and  us  his  sincere  and  faithful  brethren  in  the 
faith  to  mourn  his  early  death.  He  has  shown  us  an  example  of  piety 
which  is  worthy  of  our  imitation,  and  which  leaves  us  the  sweet  assur- 
ance that  we  shall  only  for  a  brief  period  be  separated  from  him." 

Rev.  John  W.  Hamm,  a  neighboring  pastor  during  the 
last  six  years  of  Rev.  Faust's  life,  wrote  of  the  deceased  as  fol- 
lows: "Over  his  vast  field,  he  travelled  and  labored  in  his 
Master's  cause  with  marked  fidelity,  zeal,  and  perseverance, 
during  the  whole  period  of  his  public  life.  His  efforts  were 
not  in  vain.  In  these  flourishing  churches,  which  he  aided  in 
founding  and  building  up,  are  still  seen,  and  will  continue  to 
be  seen,  the  fruits  of  his  earnest  ministry,  his  labors  and  his 
cares.  He  now  rests  in  peace.  His  reward  is  in  heaven." 

Before  closing  this  chapter  an  attempt  must  be  made  to 
estimate  the  size  of  the  Canton  congregation  at  the  time  when 
Rev.  Faust  laid  down  his  work.  The  problem  is  beset  with  dif- 
ficulties owing  to  the  incomplete  statistics  that  are  still  on  rec- 
ord, and  the  fact  that  generally  the  statistics  which  are  avail- 
able, refer  to  the  entire  charge,  not  to  an  individual  congrega- 
tion. However,  a  careful  comparison  of  all  the  figures  involved 
will  yield  a  result  which  will  be  sufficiently  accurate.  In  1829 
the  names  of  99  members  are  recorded  as  having  communed  on 
May  24.  Probably  the  percentage  of  those  who  communed  in 
comparison  with  the  total  membership  ran  higher  in  those  ear- 
lier days  in  the  small  congregations  than  they  do  in  the  age  in 
which  we  are  now  living ;  and  hence  a  simple  comparison  may 
not  be  absolutely  correct.  The  experience  of  many  years  in 
the  Central  Synod  and  also  in  the  individual  congregations  has 


FAUST  AS  PASTOR,  PREACHER,  AND  MAN      31 

been  that  the  number  of  communicants  is  always  from  65  to  75 
per  cent  of  the  total  membership.  On  this  basis,  the  member- 
ship at  Canton  must  have  been  at  least  130  to  140  souls.  The 
record  of  baptisms  performed  in  Canton  during  the  last  eight 
years  of  Rev.  Faust's  pastorate  is  complete.  An  average  of 
twenty-three  infants  each  year  received  baptism.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  during  the  first  eight  years  of  Rev.  Theodore 
P.  Bolliger's  ministry  when  the  reported  membership  was  more 
than  one  thousand,  the  average  number  of  baptisms  per  year 
was  only  twenty-six,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  estimate  of  130  to 
140  members  is  very  conservative.  Furthermore,  the  record 
of  the  confirmations  in  Canton  during  the  last  five  years  of 
Rev.  Faust's  pastorate  is  also  almost  complete.  The  names 
recorded  average  fourteen  for  each  year.  The  average  annual 
number  confirmed  during  eight  years  of  Rev.  Bolliger's  minis- 
try is  thirty-six.  From  this  again  it  must  appear  that  the  esti- 
mate made  above  is  very  conservative ;  and  that,  in  reality  the 
actual  membership  must  have  been  considerably  higher. 


CHAPTER  VI 
REV.  FAUST'S  LAST  SIX  MONTHS 

THE  hardships  inevitably  connected  with  his  vast  parish, 
had  gradually  undermined  Rev.  Faust's  health.  The 
intense  earnestness  with  which  he  preached,  and  the  vigor  of 
his  delivery  caused  him  to  perspire  very  freely  while  conduct- 
ing a  service.  Longjrides  followed  nearly  every  service  as  he 
hurried  on  to  the  next  appointment.  By  night  and  by  day,  in 
all  kinds  of  weather  and  every  degree  of  temperature,  he 
pushed  zealously  on.  After  about  ten  years  of  this  strenuous 
activity  tuberculosis  developed;  but  the  faithful  pastor  never 
shirked  his  work,  nor  even  hesitated  for  a  moment.  The  prog- 
ress of  the  disease  for  two  years  was  slow ;  then  a  rapid  change 
for  the  worse  set  in  and  during  the  last  months  of  his  life 
preaching  became  increasingly  difficult.  Sometimes  his  voice 
was  so  weak  that  the  congregation  found  it  hard  to  understand. 

During  this  period  when  Rev.  Faust  clearly  realized  that 
his  days  on  earth  were  numbered,  and  that  another  must  soon 
be  found  to  take  his  place,  he  must  often  have  wondered  where 
a  successor  could  be  found.  All  over  the  state  of  Ohio  and 
adjoining  states  were  many  German  communities  calling  anx- 
iously for  someone  to  come  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  them; 
but  the  laborers  were  few  and  the  fields  lay  waste.  Even  if 
Canton  and  its  surrounding  congregations  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing a  minister  it  would  mean  that  some  other  charge  would  at 
once  become  shepherdless. 

But  though  the  workman  falls  by  the  wayside,  the  work 
always  goes  on ;  for  God  has  a  way  of  providing  for  his  own. 
A  successor  was  already  found,  though  as  yet  unknown  to  Rev. 
Faust.  One  day  in  the  spring  of  1832  he  stopped  at  Wirth's 
hotel  about  a  mile  west  of  Reedurban  and  met  for  the  first 
time  a  young  German  by  the  name  of  Peter  Herb  ruck.  In  the 
course  of  their  conversation  the  minister  learned  that  he  had 
come  to  America  some  months  before,  had  been  in  Canton  only 

32 


REV.  FAUST'S  LAST  SIX  MONTHS  33 

a  few  weeks,  and  was  nineteen  years  old.  The  acquaintance 
soon  ripened  into  a  firm  friendship.  One  day  young  Herbruck 
confided  to  his  new  friend  that  it  had  been  his  desire  even  from 
boyhood  to  become  a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  Immediately 
Rev.  Faust  challenged  him  to  begin  his  preparation  for  the 
sacred  calling  and  promised  every  assistance. 

The  subsequent  occurrences,  we  will  let  the  young  man  tell 
in  his  own  words : 

"After  several  weeks,  I  became  acquainted  with  my  prede- 
cessor Rev.  B.  Faust,  who  after  he  had  learned  to  know  me  a 
little  better,  said  to  me,  'Young  man,  do  not  bury  your  talent 
in  a  napkin.  We  need  ministers.  Come  to  me,  I  will  give  you 
books  to  read  and  will  assist  you  in  every  respect,  if  it  is  your 
desire  to  prepare  yourself  for  the  ministry.'  I  accepted  the 
kind  offer,  borrowed  books  from  him,  and  received  instruction 
as  often  as  I  could  visit  him.  About  three  months  later,  he 
gave  me  a  text,  Matthew  25 :  31-46,  saying,  'Now  you  write 
all  you  can  on  this  passage  of  Scripture.'  I  did  so  and  brought 
him  what  had  been  written.  He  read  it  over,  making  correc- 
tions and  additions,  here  and  there.  As  he  was  suffering  from 
an  affection  of  the  throat  and  could  not  speak  very  loud  any- 
more, he  requested  me  to  preach  to  his  congregation  at  Osna- 
burg  on  this  passage.  I  did  so,  and  got  a  Pennsylvania  Dutch 
compliment.  I  had  a  full  house,  and  as  I  was  leaving  the 
church,  I  heard  a  young  girl  say  to  another :  That  boy  can  sure 
rattle  it  down.  (Der  Bub  kanns  aber  h'runner  rattlen.) 

"The  next  Sunday  I  preached  in  Canton.  My  teacher  was 
present.  After  the  service  he  said,  'That  wasn't  so  bad ;  but 
you  talked  too  fast.  Take  a  little  more  time.' 

"On  the  third  Sunday  I  was  sent  to  preach  at  Uniontown, 
twelve  miles  north  of  Canton.  My  teacher  had  sent  them  word 
that  his  student  would  preach  that  Sunday.  I  was  a  stranger 
in  Uniontown,  knowing  no  one  and  known  to  no  one.  Also,  I 
was  young,  about  eighteen  and  one-half  years  old,  and  very 
bashful.  In  Uniontown,  I  found  a  full  house,  but  was  too 
bashful  to  introduce  myself,  and  quietly  sat  down  in  the  front 
pew  among  the  old  men.  No  one  took  me  for  the  man  who 
3 


34  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

was  to  preach  to  them  for  I  seemed  to  be  too  young  and  poorly 
clad  for  a  preacher.  I  had  at  that  time  only  one  coat  to  wear 
and  that  was  pretty  thin  at  the  elbows.  Pretty  soon  I  heard 
some  one  say :  That  young  student  is  late,  he  ought  to  be  here 
now.  The  Bible  and  hymnbook  were  on  the  communion  table. 
I  took  the  two  books  and  climbed  the  pulpit  steps  which  were 
rather  high.  As  I  was  going  up  to  the  pulpit,  I  heard  one  of 
the  old  men  say :  Well  yes,  I  guess  we  will  get  something  fine 
today.  (Nu  ja,  das  wird  mer  heut  e'mal  eppis  Schoenes  gebe.) 
After  the  service  I  hurried  away,  and  went  back  the  same  day 
to  Canton  twelve  miles.  After  that  I  preached  every  Sunday 
for  my  teacher. 

'"I  also  wrote  several  funeral  sermons,  so  that  I  might  be 
partly  prepared  in  case  there  would  be  a  funeral.  I  wrote  a 
sermon  on  Psalm  90 :  10,  'The  days  of  our  years  are  three  score 
years  and  ten,  etc.'  and  another  on  Matthew  19 :  14,  'Suffer  the 
little  children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me,  etc.' 
Soon  thereafter  an  aged  mother  died,  twelve  miles  north  of 
Canton,  and  I  was  to  have  the  funeral  sermon.  Now,  thought 
I,  my  sermon  on  Psalm  90:  10  will  just  fit  in.  Early  in  the 
morning  I  started  out.  When  I  had  reached  the  bereaved 
home  and  the  funeral  procession  was  at  the  point  of  starting 
to  the  cemetery,  the  son  of  the  departed  mother  approached  me 
and  said :  Here  is  the  text  chosen  by  my  mother  on  which  her 
funeral  sermon  is  to  be  preached.  I  read  the  text  and  discov- 
ered that  it  was  not  suitable  for  a  funeral  sermon,  and  further- 
more that  I  was  unable  to  get  anything  out  of  it  to  apply  to  a 
funeral  occasion.  So  I  begged  the  young  man  to  excuse  me 
because  I  was  only  a  beginner,  and  had  no  ability  to  preach 
without  preparation,  and  informed  him  that  I  had  prepared 
myself  to  preach  on  another  text  that  was  more  suitable.  But 
his  answer  was,  The  sermon  must  be  preached  on  the  text 
which  mother  selected.  Here  it  is  written  down  in  her  own 
hand ;  and  here  are  two  dollars  which  she  laid  aside  to  pay  the 
preacher.  I  saw  that  it  was  no  use  to  refuse  so  I  consented  to 
use  the  text  chosen.  The  cemetery  was  about  a  mile  from  the 
home,  and  I  walked  before  the  funeral  procession,  hoping  to 


REV.  FAUST'S  LAST  SIX  MONTHS  35 

gather  a  few  ideas  on  the  way.  But,  alas,  a  man  walked  beside 
me  and  gabbled  all  the  way  so  that  my  head  got  dizzy,  and  I 
could  not  find  a  sensible  idea.  We  reached  the  church,  and 
also  during  the  singing  of  the  hymn  I  could  not  collect  my 
thoughts,  for  the  people  had  no  hymn  books  and  so  I  had  to 
read  the  hymn  line  by  line.  I  was  filled  with  such  terror  that 
the  sweat  poured  from  me  though  it  was  rather  cold  and  I 
thought  surely  this  time  I'll  get  stuck.  When  the  song  was 
nearly  ended  suddenly  the  thought  flashed  into  my  mind  to 
read  the  text  selected  by  the  deceased,  and  then  to  preach  the 
sermon  which  I  had  prepared.  I  did  so.  On  our  return  to 
the  house  of  mourning  I  was  told  that  many  of  the  people  were 
amazed  that  I  could  preach  such  a  sermon  on  a  text  that  had 
not  been  given  me  until  I  had  reached  the  home." 

A  most  embarrassing  incident  occurred  when  the  young 
student  conducted  his  first  service  at  a  place  a  few  miles  north 
of  Louisville.  The  gruff  farmers,  seeing  his  youth,  said  in 
his  hearing:  Well,  he  doesn't  know  anything.  (Ja!  der  weiss 
nichts.)  When  the  services  began  some  of  them  even  turned 
their  backs  towards  him.  But  after  the  young  preacher  got 
started,  he  quickly  caught  their  attention.  Slowly  they  turned 
their  faces  towards  him  and  listened  attentively  to  the  end. 

Though  the  assistance  of  young  Herbruck  brought  some 
relief  to  the  afflicted  pastor,  Rev.  Faust,  he  nevertheless  contin- 
ued conscientiously  to  perform  the  greater  part  of  his  pastoral 
duties  himself.  Early  in  November  of  1832,  he  rode  out  sev- 
eral miles  to  the  northwest  of  Canton  to  conduct  a  funeral 
service.  It  was  noted  by  the  congregation  that  he  was  preach- 
ing with  his  old-time  vigor.  The  exertion  threw  the  speaker 
into  a  profuse  perspiration.  It  was  a  raw  and  cold  day.  On 
the  way  home,  he  became  chilled  to  the  bone.  As  he  reached 
his  own  door,  a  violent  fit  of  coughing  seized  him  and  racked 
his  enfeebled  frame.  Suddenly  a  stream  of  blood  burst  from 
his  mouth.  The  long- feared  hemorrhage  had  come.  In  his 
weakened  condition  he  could  not  rally.  A  few  days  later,  on 
Saturday,  the  tenth,  "he  gently  closed  his  earthly  career  with- 
out a  groan." 


38  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

In  the  next  issue  of  the  Canton  Repository,  the  following 
beautiful  obituary  notice  appeared : 

"The  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust,  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church,  died 
at  his  residence  in  Canton  Township,  on  Saturday  the  tenth  of  Novem- 
ber, of  a  pulmonary  consumption  with  which  he  had  been  afflicted  for 
several  years,  in  the  thirty- fourth  year  of  his  age.  He  has  left  a  discon- 
solate widow  and  four  small  children  to  lament  their  irreparable  loss. 
In  him  shone  that  excellence  of  character  that  demands  the  esteem  of 
all,  even  an  enemy,  if  he  had  one.  A  sense  of  conscious  rectitude  gave 
him  peace  of  mind  while  sojourning  here  below,  and  enabled  him  to 
meet  the  grim  tyrant  death  as  a  kind  messenger,  sent  by  his  Lord  and 
Master  to  conduct  his  departing  spirit  from  a  temporary  and  probation- 
ary state  of  existence  to  the  mansions  of  eternal  felicity.  He  bore  his 
afflictions  with  a  Christian  resignation  to  the  will  of  his  Heavenly  Father, 
and  gently  closed  his  earthly  career  without  a  groan.  In  his  lectures  he 
inculcated  pure  and  unfeigned  piety  to  God ;  and  in  his  daily  avocations, 
both  by  example  and  precept,  he  enjoined  the  strictest  rules  of  morality; 
and  of  him  it  may  be  truly  said,  "he  died  the  death  of  the  righteous." 

The  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  church  cemetery.  The 
grave  was  located  a  few  feet  to  the  north  of  the  rear  entrance 
of  the  Reformed  Church  as  it  is  at  present.  A  simple  stone 
marked  the  site  for  more  than  sixty  years.  Mrs.  Faust,  though 
still  a  young  woman  of  only  thirty-two  years,  did  not  marry 
again.  For  forty-two  years,  until  her  death  on  May  9,  1874, 
she  did  not  cease  to  mourn  the  husband  so  early  torn  from  her 
side.  At  her  death  she  was  buried  in  the  Rowland  cemetery. 
Her  husband's  remains  were  taken  up  soon  after  and  buried 
again  beside  the  faithful  wife. 

Rev.  Faust  should  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  the 
present  generation  of  members  of  the  First  Church.  He  per- 
formed hard,  exacting  pioneer  work  with  great  zeal,  for  a  per- 
iod of  thirteen  years.  His  friend  and  neighbor,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Hamm,  sums  up  his  life  and  activities  in  the  words :  "He  was 
a  good  man,  earnest,  zealous,  and  faithful  to  his  trust,  and 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  stood  high  both  as  a  Chris- 
tian and  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel." 


CHAPTER  VII 
PETER  HERBRUCK'S  YOUTH 

FOR  more  than  fifty  years,  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  served  as 
pastor  of  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Canton.  With 
the  exception  of  the  last  thirteen  years  from  one  to  eight  addi- 
tional congregations  also  belonged  to  the  charge.  He  labored 
not  only  in  Canton  but  in  all  of  Stark  County  and  even  beyond 
the  boundaries  of  the  county.  From  a  youth  of  nineteen  and 
one-half  years  when  the  blunt  Pennsylvania  Germans  ad- 
dressed him  familiarly  as  "Peter,"  he  guided  the  destiny  of 
these  congregations  until  by  the  effectiveness  of  his  ministry, 
his  high  standing  in  the  community,  and  the  impress  of  his 
striking  personality,  he  was  known  far  and  wide  as  "Father 
Herbruck." 

In  this  chapter  will  be  given  the  story  of  his  childhood  and 
youth,  with  its  various  ambitions  and  dreams,  as  Rev.  Her- 
bruck wrote  them  down  himself. 

"As  I  look  back  upon  my  past  life,  I  see  everywhere  the 
wonderful  guidance  of  God.  I  see  how  all  the  events  of  my 
life  hang  together  like  the  links  of  a  chain.  I  was  born  Febru- 
ary 8,  1813  in  the  village  of  Grossteinhausen,  Canton  Neuhorn- 
bach,  Landcomisariat  Zweibruecken,  Rheinkreis  Bavaria.  Dur- 
ing my  sixth  year  I  was  sent  to  school,  and  made  good  progress 
in  learning,  so  that  by  my  eleventh  year  I  was  known  as  the 
best  scholar  in  the  school,  and  according  to  the  custom  in  vogue 
was  allowed  to  sit  up  at  the  head.  Our  teacher  was  still  one 
of  the  old  style  who  was  more  apt  in  wielding  hazel  switches 
than  in  imparting  knowledge.  But,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect, 
I  experienced  the  effect  of  his  hazel  rod  only  once. 

"When  I  was  fourteen  years  old,  I  was  confirmed.  Already 
in  my  eighth  year  the  desire  had  awakened  in  my  heart  to 
become  either  a  teacher  or  a  preacher.  Although  I  could  see 
no  possibility  for  becoming  either  because  my  father  did  not 
have  the  means,  I  could  not  rid  myself  of  this  desire.  I 

37 


38  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

dreamed  of  it  at  night.  I  already  then  had  the  knowledge  that 
things  which  are  impossible  to  man  were  not  impossible  to  God. 
Hence  I  took  my  refuge  to  God  in  prayer  not  only  at  night 
when  I  retired  but  often  during  the  daytime,  beneath  the  open 
sky,  I  would  take  off  my  cap,  sit  or  kneel  beside  a  tree,  and 
pray  to  God  that  he  might  open  the  way  so  that  I  could  study 
and  become  a  teacher  or  preacher.  My  prayer  was  not  in  vain. 
A  few  days  after  my  confirmation,  our  minister,  a  venerable, 
old  man,  came  to  my  father  in  our  home  and  sought  to  per- 
suade him  to  send  me  to  a  higher  school  of  learning.  The  min- 
ister said  that  for  a  while  I  should  attend  a  preparatory  school 
about  five  miles  from  my  birthplace  and  later  on  he  would 
arrange  to  have  me  attend  a  higher  institution.  My  father 
agreed  and  sent  me  to  the  high  school. 

"How  I  rejoiced  that  my  prayer  had  been  answered!  I 
gladly  shouldered  all  the  difficulties  that  were  in  the  way.  In 
order  to  save  the  board  bill,  during  the  first  year  I  walked  the 
five  miles  to  school  every  morning  carrying  my  dinner ;  and  in 
the  evening  I  marched  home  again.  This  was  no  small  under- 
taking, especially  in  winter  when  the  snow  was  deep  and  the 
path  had  not  been  broken.  The  following  year  my  father  was 
able  to  pay  my  board,  and  I  was  very  glad.  But  during  the 
third  year,  as  winter  approached  my  father  declared  that  he 
was  unable  either  to  pay  my  board  or  to  give  me  the  money 
necessary  for  a  few  books.  I  talked  it  over  with  my  teacher, 
and  told  him  that  I  would  have  to  give  up  my  studies.  'Well,' 
said  my  teacher,  'I  will  think  about  it  and  see  whether  anything 
can  be  done.'  The  next  morning  when  I  came  to  school  and 
had  greeted  my  teacher,  he  said  to  me,  'Last  night  I  considered 
your  circumstances  for  a  long  time  and  now  believe  I  have 
found  a  way  in  which  you  can  help  yourself.  About  an  hour's 
walk  from  here  there  is  a  little  village  which  has  a  teacher  for 
instructing  the  children  only  during  the  winter.  I  can  secure 
this  position  for  you.  Generally  the  teacher  takes  turns  about 
in  lodging  at  the  homes  of  the  children  attending;  hence  you 
need  pay  no  board  and  will  be  able  to  earn  something.  You 
can  study  your  lessons  each  evening,  and  in  the  morning  before 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  YOUTH  39 

you  leave  I  will  hear  you  recite.  In  this  way  you  will  be  able 
to  keep  pace  with  your  classmates  here.'  The  plan  just  suited 
me.  At  once  we  went  to  the  little  village,  and  immediately  a 
contract  was  made  with  the  heads  of  the  families  to  the  effect 
that  I  should  teach  school  for  five  months  for  twenty-two  Gul- 
dens (about  nine  dollars).  Every  morning  I  walked  the  three 
miles  to  the  village,  taught  the  school,  and  returned  in  the  even- 
ing. In  the  evening  I  generally  studied  my  lessons  until  twelve 
o'clock,  and  recited  them  to  my  teacher  the  next  morning  at 
five  or  six  o'clock.  Then  I  would  start  to  the  little  village  to 
teach.  The  people  were  generally  poor  and  had  the  custom  of 
eating  very  early  and  very  late.  This  did  not  suit  me  very 
well,  for  I  could  neither  be  there  early  in  the  morning  nor 
remain  until  late  in  the  evening.  Therefore  I  contented  my- 
self with  one  meal  a  day  during  this  winter.  The  daily  tramp 
of  three  miles  going  and  three  miles  back;  the  terrible  cold 
which  I  had  to  endure,  for  I  had  neither  cloak  nor  overcoat; 
the  constant  pangs  of  hunger  that  I  suffered,  caused  me  to 
grow  so  thin  that  in  the  spring  when  I  returned  home  my  par- 
ents thought  I  must  have  consumption. 

"Now  the  thought  awoke  in  me  to  go  to  America,  whither 
two  others  of  the  students  were  also  planning  to  go.  I  an- 
nounced my  decision  to  my  parents.  My  father  was  willing 
but  mother  did  not  want  me  to  go.  On  the  18th  of  April,  1831, 
when  I  said  farewell  to  parents  and  brothers  and  sisters,  my 
mother  said :  'I  would  rather  see  you  carried  out  of  the  house 
in  a  coffin  than  see  you  go  to  America.'  My  journey  lasted 
nearly  four  months  from  April  18  to  August  16." 

The  first  part  of  the  journey  was  made  largely  on  foot. 
By  easy  stages  young  Herbruck  wandered  through  northwest- 
ern France,  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred  miles  to  Havre. 
There  a  several  weeks'  wait  ensued  until  an  old  French  sailing 
vessel  started  for  America.  After  being  out  several  days  a 
terrific  storm  broke  over  the  vessel,  tearing  away  the  masts 
and  creating  general  havoc  aboard  the  old  ship.  The  ship  was 
so  much  injured  that  it  had  to  be  towed  back  to  Plymouth, 
England,  by  another  vessel.  Another  long  delay  ensued  while 


40  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

the  vessel  was  being  repaired  when  a  second  start  was  made 
for  America.  Storms  and  reverses  again  pursued  the  ship, 
but  finally  the  friendly  coast  of  America  loomed  on  the  hori- 
zon. Here  we  will  let  Mr.  Herbruck  resume  his  narrative: 

"On  the  16th  of  August  1831,  I  landed  in  Philadelphia  and 
trod  for  the  first  time  on  American  soil.  The  next  day  I  left 
Philadelphia,  without  a  cent  in  my  pocket  and  only  the  clothes 
which  I  had  worn  for  four  months  during  the  entire  journey. 
I  had  brought  good  clothes  and  a  few  books  with  me  but  these 
I  had  left  with  a  man  whom  I  owed  about  twelve  dollars.  The 
third  night  I  lay,  as  Jacob  once  did,  beneath  the  open  sky,  upon 
a  pile  of  shavings  as  my  bed,  and  the  infinite  canopy  of  heaven 
as  my  blanket.  But  I  had  no  sweet  dreams,  I  saw  no  ladder 
reaching  to  heaven  upon  which  the  angels  of  God  ascended  and 
descended.  I  was  homesick  and  ill,  thought  of  my  mother  and 
wished  I  had  taken  her  advice.  I  could  not  sleep  all  night,  but 
lay  there  with  a  high  fever  and  headache.  No  father  nor 
mother,  no  brother  nor  sister  was  beside  my  bed  to  nurse  me, 
or  to  hand  me  even  so  much  as  a  cup  of  water.  Of  the  things 
that  passed  through  my  heart  and  mind,  I  will  be  silent.  Only 
this  I  will  say  that  almost  the  entire  night  was  spent  in  weep- 
ing and  prayer.  And  my  prayer  again  was  not  in  vain.  The 
second  day  thereafter  the  Lord  brought  me  another  father  and 
mother.  It  was  in  Berks  County,  in  Heidelberg  Twp.,  that  an 
aged  couple  took  me  into  their  home  and  became  to  me  as 
father  and  mother.  Father  Klopp  who  thus  received  me  was 
eighty-one  years  old,  a  good  and  pious  soul,  as  was  also  mother 
Klopp.  Family  worship  was  held  each  morning  and  evening. 
Father  Klopp  clothed  me  from  head  to  foot.  I  taught  school 
there  during  the  winter,  and  did  a  little  work  mornings  and 
evenings.  In  the  spring  when  school  was  closed,  I  asked  the 
old  father  what  I  owed  him  for  clothes  and  board.  He 
inquired,  and  I  shall  never  forget  that  moment:  How  much 
money  have  you?  I  told  him  that  I  had  about  forty  dollars. 
Then  he  said,  Give  me  your  hand  and  promise  that  you  will 
remain  a  godly  youth  and  serve  the  Lord.  I  gave  my  promise. 
Now,  he  said,  you  owe  me  nothing  else;  go  in  the  name  of 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  YOUTH  41 

God,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you.  Having  thanked  these  good 
people  for  all  that  they  had  done  for  me,  I  took  my  departure. 
My  intention  was  to  visit  a  friend  in  the  town  of  Lebanon ;  but 
beyond  that  I  did  not  know  what  I  should  do.  Before  I  reached 
Lebanon,  however,  I  met  upon  the  road  four  or  five  wagons 
covered  with  white  canvas.  On  the  canvas  in  black  letters 
stood  the  name,  Ohio.  I  found  that  there  were  several  fam- 
ilies moving  to  Ohio.  Several  young  men  of  my  age  were 
walking  behind  the  wagons.  I  soon  became  acquainted  with 
them  and  they  invited  me  to  travel  with  them  to  Ohio.  Before 
Lebanon  was  reached  these  young  fellows  and  I  had  become 
such  good  friends  that  I  decided  to  go  with  them.  I  did  not 
visit  my  friend  but  travelled  straight  ahead  towards  Ohio. 
These  families  intended  to  go  to  southern  Ohio,  and  at  last  we 
reached  the  Ohio  River.  While  the  people  were  engaged  in 
getting  the  wagons  upon  a  ferry  boat  to  cross  the  river,  a  man 
who  had  been  standing  upon  the  bank  stepped  up  to  me  and 
asked,  Are  you  a  German  ?  Yes,  sir,  was  my  answer.  Where 
are  you  going?  was  his  further  inquiry.  My  answer  was,  To 
southern  Ohio.  Do  you  have  a  profession?  he  then  asked.  I 
answered,  No,  but  during  last  winter  I  taught  school  in  eastern 
Pennsylvania.  Well,  he  said,  then  you  travel  with  me  to 
northern  Ohio,  that  is  the  proper  place  for  you. 

"I  cannot  tell  why  I  did  it,  nevertheless,  even  though  my 
travelling  companions  had  become  very  dear  to  me,  I  tore  my- 
self from  them,  and  went  with  this  stranger.  We  travelled 
together  to  New  Lisbon.  From  there  we  went  towards  the 
north  to  Mahoning  County  where  my  travelling  companion  was 
at  home.  When  we  were  about  three  miles  north  of  New  Lis- 
bon we  came  to  a  fine  spring  of  water  by  the  roadside.  We 
slaked  our  thirst  and  rested  there  a  while.  I  had  a  little  prayer 
book  in  my  pocket,  and  said  to  my  travelling  companion  who 
was  a  Catholic,  If  you  have  no  objections  I  will  read  a  prayer. 
He  answered,  It  is  agreeable  to  me.  I  read  a  prayer.  Sud- 
denly something  strange  seemed  to  be  going  on  within  me.  I 
cannot  describe  the  experience.  It  was  as  though  I  heard  a 
voice  saying:  'You  are  going  the  wrong  way.  Mahoning 


42  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

County  is  not  the  place  for  you  to  go.  Go  back.'  I  began  to 
weep,  not  knowing  what  I  should  do.  My  companion  asked, 
What  ails  you  ?  My  answer  was,  I  cannot  travel  on  with  you. 
I  wish  to  go  back  to  New  Lisbon.  The  man  tried  everything 
to  persuade  me  from  this  intention;  but  it  was  no  use.  I 
offered  him  my  hand  and  tore  myself  loose  from  him.  Having 
reached  New  Lisbon,  I  made  no  inquiries  concerning  any  road, 
for  I  did  not  know  whither  I  would  go.  When  I  believed  my- 
self to  be  in  the  center  of  the  town,  I  turned  towards  the  right, 
not  knowing  whither  this  road  would  bring  me.  I  came  to 
Canton  and  remained  a  few  hours,  looking  around  for  an 
opportunity  to  learn  some  trade.  Not  finding  anything,  I  went 
on  at  once.  On  the  west  side  of  the  town,  I  sat  down  along 
the  way  under  a  tree.  Suddenly  my  heart  became  so  burdened 
that  I  began  to  weep.  What  will  become  of  you?  Your  mon- 
ey has  been  spent  in  travelling,  all  but  eight  dollars,  and  the 
farther  you  go,  the  more  sparsely  the  land  is  inhabited.  I  lay 
beneath  the  tree  about  two  hours,  weeping  and  praying.  After 
I  had  thus  exhausted  myself  in  weeping,  I  arose  and  went  on. 
But  before  three  miles  had  been  traversed,  I  again  had  a  fath- 
er and  a  mother.  I  taught  school  again,  having  the  children 
of  a  number  of  families,  and  in  the  household  of  Father  Wirth 
I  had  my  home.  Father  and  Mother  Wirth  treated  me  like 
their  own  child  and  to  the  children  in  the  home  I  was  as  a 
brother." 

The  tree  beneath  which  young  Herbruck  wept  and  prayed 
was  located  near  Tuscarawas  Street,  just  beyond  West  Creek. 
To  the  end  of  his  life  Rev.  Herbruck  would  point  out  the  spot 
occasionally  to  his  friends,  and  repeat  the  story  of  how  God 
answered  his  prayers. 

The  Wirth  family  lived  near  Reedurban.  With  them  Mr. 
Herbruck  resided  several  months  teaching  school  and  studying 
theology  and  practicing  at  sermon  writing  under  the  direction 
of  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust.  During  the  last  weeks  of  Rev. 
Faust's  life,  Mr.  Herbruck  made  his  home  with  them  and 
preached  for  his  teacher  regularly. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


BEFORE  considering  the  development  of  events  in  the  con- 
gregations belonging  to  the  Canton  charge,  a  glimpse 
must  be  taken  at  the  fortunes  of  the  village  itself.  Canton  was 
incorporated  in  1822,  but  ten  years  later  it  was  still  a  primitive, 
inland  community  of  less  than  two  thousand  souls.  The  only 
means  of  communication  with  the  outside  world  at  that  time 
were  poor  dirt  roads  almost  impassible  during  some  seasons  of 
the  year.  Business  was  largely  carried  on  by  barter,  and  cash 
money  was  exceedingly  rare.  Until  the  Ohio  Canal  was  com- 
pleted through  Massillon  in  1830,  there  was  no  cash  market  at 
all  for  grain.  As  a  consequence  oats,  corn,  and  wheat  had  but 
a  small  value  and  could  be  readily  traded  in  for  twelve,  fifteen, 
and  twenty-five  cents  a  bushel  respectively.  Before  the  canal 
was  finished  the  only  way  to  market  grain  was  to  haul  it  to 
Pittsburgh  or  the  Ohio  River;  afterwards  Massillon  became 
a  large  grain  center.  Trade  was  thus  diverted  from  Canton 
and  business  suffered  greatly. 

It  was  not  until  1829  that  the  first  coal-stoves  replaced  the 
open  fire-places  and  the  homemade  contrivances  in  use.  Coal 
was  brought  from  Pike  Township  to  the  south  of  Canton.  Cus- 
toms and  fashions  were  still  very  simple  and  democratic.  Cal- 
ico was  the  prevailing  material  for  ladies'  fine  dresses  to  be 
worn  for  calls,  parties  and  religious  services ;  while  home-spun 
was  generally  worn  about  the  house.  Milliners  had  not  yet 
invaded  the  village;  their  work  as  well  as  that  of  the  dress- 
makers was  performed  by  the  women  who  happened  to  be 
handiest  with  the  needle.  Walking  and  horse-back  riding  was 
the  general  mode  of  conveyance.  Women  as  well  as  men 
became  expert  in  handling  horses.  The  people  in  Canton,  as 
well  as  in  the  country  congregations  were  poor,  or  just  emerg- 
ing from  poverty.  One-room  log  cabins  constituted  the  ordin- 

43 


44  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ary  farmhouse ;  a  two-room  cabin  gave  indications  of  increas- 
ing wealth ;  a  three-room  house  was  luxury. 

Such  were  some  of  the  village  conditions  that  confronted 
young  Herbruck  at  the  death  of  his  preceptor.  Having  become 
inured  to  hardships,  however,  these  gave  him  no  concern ;  but 
the  situation  in  the  charge  itself  was  both  difficult  and  discour- 
aging. Rev.  Faust  had  been  favorably  known  throughout  the 
county  and  had  been  exceptionally  able  as  a  pastor  and  preach- 
er; while  Herbruck  was  a  stranger  not  yet  twenty  years  old. 
Furthermore  his  entire  education  and  experience  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry  had  consisted  in  reading  a  few  theological 
books  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Faust  for  about  three 
months ;  supplemented  by  writing  about  a  half  dozen  sermons 
and  preaching  perhaps  a  dozen  times.  He  was  further  handi- 
capped by  being  able  to  speak  only  the  German  language,  and 
being  unfamiliar  with  American  ways  and  customs.  Besides 
this,  as  he  confesses  in  his  "Reminiscences,"  he  was  exceed- 
ingly timid  and  desperately  poor.  Under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances  he  could  not  hope  to  be  ordained  to  the  ministry 
before  he  was  of  age  and  that  date  was  still  fifteen  months  off. 

The  congregations  of  the  charge  at  once  began  the  search 
for  a  new  pastor.  Until  this  search  should  be  crowned  with 
success,  Mr.  Herbruck  was  invited  by  the  various  congrega- 
tions to  continue  the  regular  preaching  services  and  to  instruct 
the  youth  in  the  catechism.  For  the  special  ministerial  acts 
such  as  administering  the  sacraments  and  confirming  the  young 
people,  Rev.  J.  W.  Hamm  was  called  upon.  Rev.  Hamm  was 
pastor  of  the  Manchester  charge  near  Canal  Fulton  and  was 
not  only  the  nearest  neighboring  pastor,  but  also  supervised 
the  theological  studies  which  young  Herbruck  was  diligently 
continuing. 

The  hardships  of  that  first  winter  were  such  that  they 
would  have  driven  him  from  the  work  in  utter  discouragement 
had  he  not  been  so  certain  of  his  divine  call  to  the  ministry. 
He  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  some  of  his  experiences  in  the  fol- 
lowing words : 

"I  made  nearly  all  my  trips  on  foot,  because  I  was  too 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  EXPERIENCES        45 

poor  to  buy  a  horse.  Neither  did  I  possess  an  overcoat  or 
mantle.  During  the  winter  I  walked  eight,  ten,  fifteen  and 
even  twenty-four  miles,  on  foot,  through  deep  snows.  Often 
I  slept  under  a  so-called  clapboard  roof,  and  in  the  morning 
could  easily  write  my  name  in  the  snow  on  my  bed  covers.  In 
addition  to  the  Canton  congregation,  I  served  for  two  years 
two  congregations  in  Carroll  County.  The  one  in  the  town  of 
Carrollton  about  twenty-four  miles  from  Canton  and  the  other 
known  as  the  Hursh  Church  five  miles  north  of  Carrollton. 
I  preached  every  four  weeks  in  each  congregation,  at  the  one  in 
the  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  at  the  other.  Generally  I 
would  return  home  after  the  close  of  the  afternoon  service; 
reaching  Canton  at  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock  and  even  later, 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  roads.  In  another  congrega- 
tion I  also  preached  for  nine  months.  During  these  nine 
months,  I  made  the  trip  ten  times,  travelling  nine  miles  there 
and  nine  miles  back.  For  preaching  ten  times  and  traveling 
180  miles  on  foot  I  received  the  handsome  sum  of  $1.50,  that 
is  fifteen  cents  a  sermon  plus  a  trip  of  eighteen  miles.  In  my 
time  I  preached  to  twenty-one  different  congregations,  but  this 
one  was  the  stingiest  of  them  all." 

During  these  months  the  charge  was  diligently  seeking  for 
a  permanent  pastor.  The  Uniontown  congregation  elected 
Rev.  J.  W.  Hamm  and  thus  separated  from  the  Canton  charge 
to  become  a  part  of  the  Manchester  charge.  The  remaining 
congregations  of  the  charge  decided  to  extend  a  call  to  Rev. 
David  Winters,  who  was  then  serving  the  Dayton  charge ;  or, 
if  he  would  not  accept  the  call,  it  was  to  go  to  Rev.  David  Long, 
then  serving  the  four  or  five  congregations  of  the  Somerset 
charge  in  Perry  County.  As  both  these  men  preached  accept- 
ably in  both  German  and  English  they  were  eminently  fitted 
for  the  work  of  the  Canton  charge.  A  request  was  therefore 
sent  to  the  Ohio  Synod  which  met  in  the  spring  of  1833  to  con- 
firm this  action  and  arrange  for  the  installation  of  the  one  or 
the  other  of  these  ministers.  In  case  neither  of  them  would 
accept  the  offered  call,  a  further  request  was  sent  asking  that 
Peter  Herbruck  should  be  licensed  and  ordained  so  that  he 


46  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

might  become  the  pastor  of  the  Canton  charge.  The  consis- 
tories furnished  him  with  the  necessary  recommendations  and 
petitions  and  sent  him  to  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Xenia. 

High  hopes  filled  young  Herbruck's  heart  as  he  prepared 
to  go  to  Synod.  Had  he  not  for  a  space  of  six  months  faith- 
fully preached  the  Gospel  to  the  people  ?  Had  he  not  zealously 
conducted  the  catechetical  classes  ?  Had  he  not  diligently  con- 
tinued his  theological  studies,  and  had  not  the  consistories  giv- 
en him  splendid  testimonials?  Possibly  it  hardly  occurred  to 
him  that  his  youth  and  insufficient  preparation  might  make  it 
necessary  for  Synod  to  postpone  both  his  licensure  and  ordina- 
tion. Of  the  journey  Mr.  Herbruck  says : 

"A  week  before  the  convening  of  the  Synod  I  started  out 
carrying  with  me  good  recommendations  and  a  request  from 
the  consistory  of  the  Canton  charge.  On  foot  I  went  to  Mas- 
sillon,  from  there  on  a  canal  boat  to  Columbus,  and  then  again 
on  foot  to  Xenia.  The  road  between  Columbus  and  Xenia  was 
so  miserable  that  I  could  hardly  get  on;  and  was  obliged  to 
rest  at  a  farmhouse  along  the  road  for  an  entire  day.  At  last 
I  reached  the  goal  of  my  journey.  The  Synod  was  already  in 
session.  I  presented  my  documents  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  examine  me." 

The  committee  appointed  to  conduct  the  examination 
reported  to  the  Synod  that  they  had  examined  the  candidate  in 
church  history  and  theology,  and  found  that  he  was  not  yet 
ready  for  licensure.  The  Synod  thereupon  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  which  Rev.  J.  W.  Hamm  was  chairman  which  should 
supervise  Mr.  Herbruck's  further  studies,  and,  if  in  their  opin- 
ion, the  candidate,  before  the  next  meeting  of  Synod  was  suf- 
ficiently prepared,  the  committee  was  authorized  to  issue  a 
ministerial  license  to  him. 

This  action  of  the  Synod  was  a  grievous  disappointment 
to  the  young  candidate  for  licensure;  especially  because  Rev. 
Winters  declined  the  call  issued  to  him,  and  Rev.  Long  was 
uncertain  whether  he  would  ultimately  accept  or  not.  The 
Synod  requested  Rev.  Long  to  visit  the  congregations  in  and 
around  Canton  during  the  summer  as  a  sort  of  official  supply- 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  EXPERIENCES  47 

pastor  until  the  matter  was  definitely  settled.  Before  this  plan 
could  be  carried  out,  the  cholera  scourge  which  swept  over 
Ohio  that  year,  claimed  him  also  as  a  victim  less  than  a  month 
after  the  meeting  of  Synod. 

Rev.  Herbruck  believed  to  the  end  of  his  days  that  the 
action  of  the  Synod  in  refusing  to  license  him  in  1833  was 
caused  not  so  much  by  his  youth,  or  his  lack  of  preparation,  as 
by  the  determination  to  withhold  the  license  so  that  one  of  the 
older  and  experienced  pastors  might  secure  the  desirable 
charge. 

In  describing  his  experiences  at  the  Synod  and  afterwards, 
he  says :  "Even  before  the  examination  I  heard  remarks  here 
and  there  to  the  effect  that  the  young  man  would  not  do  for 
the  Canton  charge,  and  that  someone  else  must  be  stationed 
there.  The  examination  was  held.  I  do  not  know  what  the 
committee  reported,  as  I  was  not  permitted  to  be  present  dur- 
ing the  hearing  and  discussion  of  the  report.  After  the  adop- 
tion of  the  report  I  was  called  in  and  informed  that  the  Synod 
had  decided  that  I  should  study  a  while  longer  under  the  care  of 
Rev.  Hamm,  who  would  examine  me  again  when  he  thought 
proper.  The  entire  matter  looked  somewhat  queer  to  me,  but 
I  was  unable  to  alter  it.  Rev.  Hamm  not  being  present,  the 
resolution  of  the  synod  was  sent  to  him.  I  talked  the  matter 
over  with  a  minister  of  the  Synod  and  he  quieted  me  by  say- 
ing: Be  perfectly  contented.  When  Rev.  Hamm  calls  the 
committee  together  in  a  few  weeks,  everything  will  be  all  right. 
I  perceived  that  there  was  something  back  of  it  all,  but  what  it 
was,  I  could  not  tell.  At  the  close  of  the  Synod  I  started  out 
(per  pedes  apostolorum)  on  foot  for  Columbus.  After  hav- 
ing walked  some  distance  one  of  the  brethren  of  Synod  caught 
up  with  me  riding  in  a  double  rig,  and  also  on  his  way  to 
Columbus.  I  expected  an  invitation  to  ride  along  with  him  as 
far  as  Columbus.  But  instead  of  that  he  called  out,  goodbye, 
and  hurried  past.  Reaching  Columbus,  I  again  went  aboard 
a  canal  boat  and  rode  to  Massillon,  and  from  there  went  on 
foot  to  Canton.  Hardly  had  I  reached  Canton  when  I  was 
informed  by  a  member  of  the  consistory  that  a  minister,  whom 


48  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

I  had  met  at  the  Synod,  was  coming  to  preach  a  trial  sermon 
and  become  a  candidate  for  the  Canton  charge.  Now  I  saw 
clearly  why  I  was  still  to  study  for  a  while  under  Rev.  Hamm. 
The  minister  came,  preached  to  several  of  the  congregations  of 
the  charge,  and  demanded  that  an  election  should  be  held.  So 
the  congregations  voted  between  him  and  me  with  the  result 
that  I  was  elected  by  a  large  majority." 

Some  months  later  in  the  fall  of  1833,  Rev.  Hamm  called 
his  committee  together  at  Manchester,  and  the  coveted  license 
was  granted  at  last. 

It  may  have  been  partly  from  sheer  gladness  that  he  was 
finally  in  possession  of  his  ministerial  license  that  Mr.  Her- 
bruck  decided  to  get  married.  For  some  months  before  the 
death  of  Rev.  Faust,  he  had  become  a  member  of  the  Faust 
household,  giving  his  time  to  study  and  assisting  in  the  work 
of  the  parish.  After  Rev.  Faust's  death  he  remained  with  the 
Faust  family.  About  a  mile  or  so  further  east  on  the  George- 
town road  was  the  farm  of  Jonathan  Holwick.  In  the  Hoi- 
wick  home  there  was  a  daughter  named  Sarah,  then  about  six- 
teen years  old.  Peter  and  Sarah  soon  became  interested  in  one 
another.  Interest  quickly  ripened  into  love,  and  love  led  to  a 
happy  marriage  on  November  21,  1832.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Hamm.  The  groom  was  three 
months  less  than  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  the  bride  was 
just  sixteen  and  one-half.  During  the  first  year  of  their  mar- 
ried life,  the  young  couple  made  their  home  with  the  bride's 
parents.  Over  the  spring  which  supplied  the  household,  a  lit- 
tle house  had  been  built.  The  upper  part  of  this  spring-house 
had  a  room  which  had  been  used  for  various  purposes.  This 
room  was  now  fixed  up  and  became  the  study  where  the  young 
preacher  worked  over  his  books  and  sermons,  and  grappled 
with  vexing  pastoral  problems.  And  these  came  thick  and  fast. 

On  the  day  following  the  wedding  an  event  occurred  which 
made  a  profound  impression  upon  the  entire  community  and 
especially  upon  the  youthful  candidate  for  the  ministry.  Chris- 
tian Bechtel,  a  German,  who  may  possibly  have  been  a  member 
or  at  least  an  adherent  of  one  of  the  congregations  served  by 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  EXPERIENCES  49 

Rev.  Herbruck,  had  come  home  drunk  some  months  before, 
and  in  this  senseless  condition  had  killed  his  wife  while  she 
was  sleeping.  After  an  attempt  to  escape  he  gave  himself  up, 
and  was  condemned  to  death.  Under  a  deep  sense  of  his  duty 
towards  the  wretched  man,  Mr.  Herbruck  says : 

"I  often  visited  him  in  prison,  and  admonished  him  to 
repentance  and  conversion,  and  also  prayed  with  him.  His  sin 
was  a  heavy  burden  upon  his  heart,  and  he  fervently  besought 
the  Lord  for  pardon.  According  to  his  own  testimony,  he  also 
received  mercy  and  forgiveness." 

The  conversion  of  the  criminal  and  the  remarkable  con- 
fession which  he  drew  up  stirred  the  entire  county  to  the  very 
depths.  The  confession  closed  with  these  words,  "Standing 
as  I  do  on  the  confines  of  two  worlds,  I  would  fain  raise  my 
voice  in  the  language  of  warning  and  exhortation,  to  all  who 
may  hear  the  tale  of  my  guilt  and  its  consequences.  Let  them 
shun  the  rock  on  which  I  split,  avoid  the  intoxicating  cup  as 
you  would  the  enemy  of  your  souls.  To  that  I  can  safely 
trace  my  present  condition." 

The  execution  was  to  take  place  on  November  22,  1833. 
On  the  evening  before,  a  minister  who  had  but  recently  come 
from  Germany  visited  Mr.  Herbruck.  "This  minister  directly 
denied  the  divinity  of  Christ.  The  next  morning  we  went 
together  to  the  prison.  Seven  or  eight  ministers  were  gathered 
there.  The  condemned  man  begged  us  to  pray  with  him  again. 
After  the  prayer,  he  himself  also  began  to  pray.  His  prayer 
was  so  earnest  and  fervent,  that  the  bystanders  were  moved  to 
tears.  I  noticed  that  during  this  prayer,  my  guest  who  denied 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  dropped  his  hat,  and  repeatedly  smote 
his  breast." 

At  eleven  o'clock,  the  condemned  man  was  led  out  to  exe- 
cution. Rev.  J.  P.  Mahnenschmidt  and  Peter  Herbruck 
walked  by  his  side.  The  gallows  had  been  erected  on  the  com- 
mons just  east  of  Walnut  Street,  between  Fourth  and  Sixth 
Streets,  N.  E.  A  multitude  estimated  to  have  numbered  at 
least  twenty  thousand,  coming  from  far  and  near,  had  assem- 
bled. After  an  English  sermon  had  been  preached,  Rev.  Mah- 

4 


50  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

nenschmidt  preached  in  German  and  "closed  the  service  with 
prayer."  During  this  time,  Mr.  Herb  ruck  and  his  guest  had 
stood  side  by  side.  The  criminal's  last  words  were,  "May  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  the  son  of  God  cleanse  me  from  all  sin." 
This  scene  quite  vanquished  the  visitor's  unbelief.  With  the 
tears  streaming  from  his  eyes,  he  exclaimed:  "You  are  right, 
would  to  God,  I  had  your  faith." 

During  that  winter  Mr.  Herbruck  performed  all  the  usual 
pastoral  duties  of  the  charge.  By  his  discreet  conduct  and  the 
faithful  performance  of  his  work  he  so  won  the  hearts  of  the 
people  that  when  the  Ohio  Synod  met  in  Canton,  May  17-21, 
1834,  seven  of  the  congregations,  namely,  Peter's,  Zion's,  Paris, 
Bethlehem,  Martin's,  Carrollton  and  Hursh*  submitted  a  call 
to  Peter  Herbruck,  asking  that  the  call  might  be  confirmed  and 
he  be  ordained  and  installed  as  their  pastor.  The  remaining 
congregations  of  the  charge,  that  is,  Canton,  Osnaburg,  Warst- 
lers  (or  Heinrichs)  and  Sherman's  had  been  supplied  for  some 
time  by  Rev.  John  Pence,  and  having  given  him  a  call  desired 
that  he  might  be  installed  as  their  pastor.  The  Synod  granted 
this  petition  provided  that  Rev.  Pence  would  accept  the  call. 

During  this  meeting  of  the  Synod  Peter  Herbruck,  who 
had  now  become  of  age,  was  finally  licensed  and  ordained  to 
the  ministry,  and  with  him  also  two  other  candidates,  G.  H. 
Zumpf  and  Geo.  Schlosser.  The  ordination  of  three  candi- 
dates for  the  ministry  at  one  service  was  so  extraordinary  an 
event  that  a  congregation  that  crowded  the  church  had  assem- 
bled (May  21).  Rev.  T.  Winters  delivered  a  short  but  inter- 
esting and  touching  address  on  the  words  found  in  John  21 : 
16,  "Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  ?  He  saith  unto  him, 
Yea  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him, 
Feed  my  sheep."  After  the  ordination  had  taken  place,  "the 


*  In  the  statistical  report  of  1834,  Baiden's  schoolhouse  is  also 
named  as  a  congregation  belonging  to  the  Canton  charge.  At  that  time 
however,  this  was  simply  an  occasional  preaching  point,  the  organization 
of  the  congregation  taking  place  at  a  later  date.  The  correct  spelling 
of  the  name  is  "Bethunds."  The  location  was  four  miles  north  of  North 
Georgetown,  in  Columbiana  County. 


PETER  HERBRUCK'S  EXPERIENCES  51 

congregation  united  in  a  song  of  praise,  while  the  clerical 
brethren  came  forward,  and,  amidst  praise  and  joy,  gave  these 
newly  initiated  brethren  into  the  ministry  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship, and  with  hearts  full  of  joy,  and  amidst  sighs,  tears, 
and  praises  of  God,  offered  them  pastoral  advice  and  congrat- 
ulations." The  entire  service  was  then  closed  by  a  prayer  of 
which  a  few  sentences  ought  to  be  preserved  here,  "Almighty 
and  eternal  God, — O,  thou  great  Head  and  Bishop  of  thy 
Church,  Jesus  Christ,  bless  what  we  have  done  in  accordance 
with  thy  holiness,  that  it  may  redound  to  thy  glory,  and  the 
building  up  of  that  part  of  thy  Zion  which  we  represent.  Give 
to  each  one  of  thy  spirit  and  grace,  that  we,  patiently  and 
faithfully,  may  do  the  work  of  evangelists,  and  make  full  proof 
of  our  ministry. — Bless  them  (the  newly  ordained  candidates) 
and  us  with  the  greatest  and  richest  of  thy  blessings  in  time, 
and  when  our  pilgrimage  shall  end,  receive  us  to  thee  and  the 
church  of  the  first-born  in  heaven ;  for  the  Redeemer's  sake."* 
With  this  service  of  ordination,  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Peter 
Herbruck,  which  was  to  extend  to  more  than  a  half  century, 
really  began. 


*  The  report  of  the  ordination  service  is  taken  from  the  Minutes  of 
the  Ohio  Synod.  The  quotations  in  Rev.  Herbruck's  words  are  taken 
verbatim  from  his  "Reminiscences." 


CHAPTER  IX 

GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE 
1834-1837 

ONE  of  the  first  acts  of  the  new  minister  was  to  hurry  to 
the  courthouse  and  secure  his  license  permitting  and 
empowering  him  to  perform  marriage  ceremonies.  The  license 
issued  by  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  stated,  "You  are  hereby 
licensed  to  solemnize  marriages  within  the  state  of  Ohio  and 
so  long  as  you  shall  continue  a  regular  minister  of  the  German 
Reformed  Church."  For  this  license  a  fee  of  one  dollar  had 
to  be  paid. 

A  second  very  important  matter  that  had  to  be  attended 
to  was  the  drawing  up  of  a  brief  contract  between  the  minister 
and  each  congregation.  Sometimes  this  contract  consisted 
simply  in  a  verbal  understanding  of  the  obligations  resting 
upon  either  party;  more  often  it  was  drawn  up  in  a  dignified 
legal  fashion.  The  following  agreement  made  between  the 
Osnaburg  congregation  and  its  minister  will  serve  as  an  exam- 
ple of  the  manner  in  which  these  were  worded. 

"We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  German  Evangeli- 
cal Reformed  Church  of  Osnaburg,  Stark  County,  Ohio,  obli- 
gate ourselves  to  pay  to  the  Rev'd  Peter  Herbruck  the  amount 
opposite  to  our  name,  either  in  person  or  through  the  consis- 
tory for  the  year  extending  from to  -  . 

"On  his  part  the  Rev'd  Peter  Herbruck  obligates  himself 

to  preach  every weeks  in  German  unless  prevented  by 

sickness,  or  other  extraordinary  occurrences,  such  as  funerals, 
attendance  on  Synod,  etc.,  and  to  baptize  the  children,  confirm 
the  youth,  administer  the  Lord's  supper,  and  look  after  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  congregation." 

It  will  be  remembered  from  the  last  chapter  that  the  Can- 
ton, Osnaburg,  Warstler,  and  Sherman's  congregations  of  the 

52 


GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE  53 

Canton  charge  had  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  John  Pence.  When 
he  finally  declined  the  call  and  these  congregations  were  shep- 
herdless  the  consistories  of  Canton,  Osnaburg,  and  Warstlers 
arranged  with  Rev.  Herbruck  to  supply  their  pulpits  until  defi- 
nite arrangements  were  agreed  upon.  The  Sherman's  congre- 
gation, however,  chose  the  Rev.  Geo.  Schlosser. 

During  the  fall  of  this  year,  Rev.  Herbruck  .moved  to  town 
into  the  new  home  which  had  been  built  at  the  corner  of  Tusca- 
rawas  and  Herbruck  Streets,  N.  E.  This  house  which  is  now 
number  1003  Tuscarawas  Street,  East,  stands  today  as  it  was 
originally  built  with  the  exception  of  the  kitchen  addition  in  the 
rear  and  the  one-story  addition  on  the  east  side.  It  served  as 
the  family  home  until  death  called  the  aged  couple  home;  a 
period  of  sixty-three  years. 

About  this  time  also,  Rev.  Herbruck  secured  a  horse  to 
carry  him  to  his  various  pastoral  appointments.  This  part  of 
the  story,  however,  he  can  tell  us  in  his  own  words : 

"In  the  fall  of  1834,  I  finally  got  a  horse  and  also  an  over- 
coat. The  horse  was  only  three  years  old,  and  not  properly 
broken,  while  I' was  no  rider.  On  account  of  my  awkwardness 
in  handling  the  animal  the  little  beast  acquired  the  habit  of 
going  backwards,  whenever  it  was  frightened.  On  one  occa- 
sion while  going  home  the  young  animal  became  scared  and 
began  going  backwards.  I  tried  with  the  whip  to  drive  it  for- 
wards; but  the  more  I  whipped  it,  the  faster  it  went  back- 
wards. A  farmer  working  in  the  field  along  the  road  cried 
out  to  me :  Say,  preacher,  turn  around  and  point  the  rear  end 
of  your  horse  towards  Canton,  and  you  will  get  there  faster. 
Falling  off  of  the  horse  became  so  much  of  a  daily  habit  with 
me,  that  when  I  rode  away  in  the  morning  and  returned  in  the 
evening,  with  only  one  or  two  tumbles  to  my  credit,  I  counted 
it  a  lucky  day. 

"One  experience,  however,  I  shall  never  forget.  I  had  a 
funeral  twelve  miles  from  Canton,  and  was  returning  home 
about  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  I  had  to  go  through 
a  dense  woods  through  which  there  was  only  a  very  narrow 


54  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

footpath.  It  was  so  dark  that  I  could  scarcely  distinguish  my 
horse's  head.  Some  animal,  probably  a  cow,  was  lying  in  the 
path,  and  jumped  up  suddenly.  My  horse  became  frightened 
and  galloped  away  through  the  woods  with  me.  I  expected 
nothing  else  but  to  be  killed.  I  tried  to  stop  the  horse  and 
pulled  with  all  my  strength  on  the  reins.  Suddenly  these 
broke,  and  I  tumbled  head  over  heels,  backwards  from  the 
horse.  Crawling  around  on  hands  and  knees,  I  finally  found 
my  saddle  bags,  and  then  worked  my  way  out  of  the  woods. 
At  the  nearest  farmhouse,  I  awoke  the  people,  and  asked  for  a 
lantern.  The  request  was  freely  granted,  but  as  I  was  about 
to  leave,  the  farmer  said:  Hold  on,  possibly  your  horse  is 
standing  down  by  my  barn.  Sure  enough,  so  it  was.  So  we 
fixed  up  the  bridle,  and  I  reached  home  without  further  mis- 
haps. 

"Conditions  in  my  congregations  at  that  time  seemed  very 
satisfactory.  The  number  of  members  was  on  the  increase, 
and  there  were  but  few  annoyances  from  without.  But  things 
were  not  to  remain  so  very  long." 

In  order  to  clearly  set  forth  the  conditions  in  the  congre- 
gations of  the  charge  and  especially  to  show  the  independent 
manner  in  which  the  individual  congregations  frequently  acted 
without  consulting  the  others,  a  few  of  the  "annoyances"  that 
came  must  be  described. 

After  Rev.  John  Pence  had  refused  the  call  extended  to 
him,  the  four  congregations  arranged  for  themselves  for  the 
supply  of  their  pulpits  as  already  described.  The  Osnaburg 
congregation  divided  into  two  factions.  Some  of  the  people 
wanted  Rev.  Herbruck,  the  others  invited  Rev.  Geo.  Schlosser 
to  preach  for  them.  The  Bethlehem  congregation  in  Navarre 
and  the  Sherman's  congregations  also  invited  Rev.  Schlosser. 
The  question  arose:  Who  is  the  legal  pastor?  The  matter 
was  referred  to  the  Synod  in  1835.  The  answer  of  the  Synod 
was  in  the  form  of  a  compromise.  Rev.  Schlosser  was  to 
serve  Osnaburg  until  the  end  of  the  year,  after  which  time 
Rev.  Herbruck  was  to  have  the  congregation.  As  a  compen- 
sation for  giving  up  Osnaburg,  Rev.  Schlosser  was  to  keep  the 


GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE  55 

Bethlehem  and  Sherman's  congregations.  The  congregations 
of  the  Canton  charge  at  the  end  of  1835  were  Canton,  Osna- 
burg,  Zion's,  Paris,  Martin's,  Warstlers  (or  Heinrichs),  Car- 
rollton  and  Hursh,  with  Sherman's  wavering  between  Her- 
bruck  and  Schlosser.  Besides  these  congregations  already  or- 
ganized there  were  also  several  additional  preaching  places 
where  occasional  services  were  held. 

The  Synod  met  in  Osnaburg  in  1837.  In  the  absence  of 
Rev.  Herbruck,  who  was  called  away  to  conduct  a  funeral 
service  in  one  of  the  distant  congregations,  a  petition  signed 
by  only  eleven  members  was  presented  requesting  the  Synod 
to  declare  the  Canton  congregation  vacant  because  Rev.  Her- 
bruck had  never  been  elected  by  the  congregation,  the  consis- 
tory only  having  chosen  him. 

The  Synod  immediately,  without  waiting  until  Rev.  Her- 
bruck was  present,  referred  the  matter  to  a  committee.  The 
elder  from  Canton  was  appointed  on  this  committee.  It  may 
be  that  the  ministerial  delegates  had  been  more  verbose  than 
usual ;  it  may  be  that  the  dinner  had  been  too  sumptuous ;  at 
any  rate,  the  Canton  elder  was  just  taking  a  quiet  nap.  Sud- 
denly someone  poked  him  in  the  ribs  and  whispered :  You  are 
on  the  committee  in  the  Canton  matter.  Immediately  he 
jumped  to  his  feet  exclaiming,  "Mr.  President,  I  can't  go  to 
Canton ;  my  horse  is  a  couple  of  miles  from  here  in  a  pasture." 
The  president  explained  that  the  committee  was  not  to  go  to 
Canton,  but  do  its  work  in  Osnaburg.  So  the  elder  declared, 
"Well,  then  I  will  serve." 

The  committee  having  investigated  the  matter  reported : 
"We  cannot  consider  Bro.  Herbruck  as  legally  called  pastor  of 
said  congregation  because  he  has  received  his  call  from  the  con- 
sistory only,  and  not  by  a  majority  of  the  congregation;  but 
if  the  congregation  chooses  to  retain  him  as  their  minister,  or 
to  call  any  other,  let  them  declare  it  by  a  majority  of  the  votes 
of  the  whole  congregation." 

When  the  committee  offered  its  report  to  the  Synod  it  was 
adopted  without  any  discussion  except  by  the  elder  from  Can- 
ton. He  did  not  seem  to  be  able  to  understand  why  the  elec- 


56  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

tion  by  the  consistory  should  not  be  considered  quite  sufficient. 
He  recalled  how  the  consistory  had  twice  (the  first  time  when 
he  was  elected  provided  neither  Revs.  Winter  or  Long  would 
accept  the  call ;  the  second  time,  after  Rev.  Pence  had  declined 
the  call  extended  him)  already  elected  Rev.  Herbruck  to  serve 
the  Canton  charge,  hence  to  order  still  another  election  by  the 
congregation  seemed  to  him  to  be  a  work  of  supererogation. 
He  was  "a  unique  Pennsylvania  German"  as  Rev.  Herbruck 
designates  him ;  so  he  got  up  and  made  the  following  speech 
as  reported  in  the  Herbruck  "Reminiscences":  "Gentlemen, 
We  have  had  two  elections  already.  The  first  time  Peter  won 
it;  and  the  second  time  Peter  won  it  again."  However,  this 
laconic  plea  did  not  change  the  fact  that  the  congregation  had 
never  been  given  a  chance  to  vote  whether  Rev.  Herbruck  was 
to  be  the  pastor  or  not ;  hence,  the  report  of  the  committee  was 
adoptd. 

Taking  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case  into  consideration 
it  is  evident  that  the  Ohio  Synod  showed  Rev.  Herbruck  but 
scant  courtesy  in  this  matter.  In  the  first  place  since  the  Syn- 
od was  meeting  in  a  congregation  of  the  Canton  charge,  the 
question  certainly  should  not  have  been  disposed  of  in  the 
absence  of  the  pastor  who  was  acting  as  the  host  of  Synod. 
Secondly,  on  his  return  an  opportunity  should  have  been  ac- 
corded him  to  be  heard.  This  was  denied  him  with  the  state- 
ment: "It  is  too  late  now."  Thirdly,  the  petition  itself  with 
the  signatures  was  not  properly  investigated.  Had  this  been 
done  it  would  have  been  seen,  "that  of  the  eleven  signers,  sev- 
eral were  Lutherans,  several  called  themeslves  Reformed  but 
had  not  belonged  to  the  Canton  congregation  for  a  number  of 
years,  the  rest  were  relatives  of  a  certain  minister  who  was 
anxious  to  secure  the  congregation  for  himself,  and  hence  fur- 
nished the  incentive  for  this  entire  occurrence."  Since  the 
Synod  had  decided  that  the  congregation  must  hold  an  election 
for  pastor,  this  "certain  minister"  at  once  announced  himself 
as  a  candidate.  "An  election  was  held,  and,  behold,  "Peter 
won  again."  (The  quotations  are  all  taken  from  the  Herbruck 
Reminiscences.) 


GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE  57 

During  this  time  Rev.  Herbruck  was  engaged  in  zealous 
missionary  activity.  The  names  of  several  new  congregations 
appear  in  the  statistical  reports.  These  were  Israel,  Franklin 
(several  miles  east  of  Paris),  Georgetown  in  Columbiana  Co., 
Bethund's  (also  spelled  Baden's  and  Baiden's)  schoolhouse 
four  miles  north  of  Georgetown.  For  an  account  of  this  work, 
Rev.  Herbruck's  own  description  will  be  given : 

"About  the  year  1837  I  began  to  preach  in  the  town  of 
Franklin  near  the  eastern  boundary  of  Stark  County,  and 
founded  a  new  congregation  there.  A  year  later,  I  received  an 
invitation  to  come  to  North  Georgetown  in  Columbiana  Coun- 
ty. I  went  there  and  preached  in  an  old  log  church.  The  peo- 
ple begged  me  earnestly  to  come  regularly  every  four  weeks 
and  preach  to  them.  I  promised  to  do  so  provided  they  would 
build  a  new  church.  They  agreed  to  do  that  and  before  the 
close  of  the  first  year  the  new  church  was  completed.  Soon 
after,  I  served  the  Bethund's  congregation  located  four  miles 
north  of  Georgetown.  I  preached  at  these  places  for  several 
years  and  both  were  in  a  flourishing  condition  when  I  gave 
them  up.  During  my  administration  there  I  received  a  con- 
siderable number  of  persons  by  confirmation  into  the  congrega- 
tion. But  I  had  to  make  some  hard  trips,  because  both  congre- 
gations were  about  twenty-three  miles  from  Canton.  When 
it  was  impossible  to  leave  home  on  the  previous  day,  which 
happened  frequently,  I  was  obliged  to  start  out  at  one  or  two 
o'clock  on  Sunday  morning.  One  of  my  return  trips  from 
there  I  have  not  forgotten.  It  was  night,  and  I  had  to  pass 
through  a  woods  four  miles  across.  Just  as  I  got  into  the 
woods,  a  violent  storm  broke  loose  accompanied  by  a  pouring 
rain  and  frightful  lightning  flashes.  About  a  mile  beyond  the 
woods,  I  had  to  cross  a  valley,  which  was  flooded.  The  road 
was  narrow  and  the  fences  on  either  side  were  barely  visible 
anymore.  I  believed  it  possible  to  cross  if  I  kept  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  road  with  my  horse  and  buggy.  After  having 
reached  the  middle  of  the  valley  I  suddenly  thought  of  the 
bridge  which  led  across  a  little  stream  there.  I  thought  that 
the  bridge  must  have  been  carried  away.  Suddenly  I  seemed 


58  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

to  hear  a  voice  saying:  Do  not  go  a  step  further,  you  are  in 
great  danger;  but  it  was  impossible  owing  to  the  narrowness 
of  the  road  to  turn  around.  There  was  no  other  way  to  escape 
except  to  back  out  of  the  valley  with  horse  and  buggy  which 
took  several  hours  to  accomplish.  Then  I  was  obliged  to  take 
a  long  round-about  way  which  did  not  bring  me  home  until 
sunrise  the  next  morning.  On  the  way  home,  I  learned  that 
the  bridge  had  actually  been  carried  away." 

Rev.  J.  G.  Buettner,  D.D.,  who  lived  in  Canton  from  1838- 
39  and  served  the  Osnaburg  congregation  and  the  German 
Evangelical  congregation  of  Massillon,  gives  many  vivid  de- 
scriptions of  church  conditions  in  Stark  County  and  the  exper- 
iences of  ministers  during  that  period,  in  his  book,  "My  Life 
and  Journeys  in  North  America."  Describing  a  typical  Sun- 
day he  says :  "When  there  is  no  one  to  lead  the  singing,  which 
happens  frequently,  then  the  minister  must  almost  contract 
consumption  on  account  of  his  much  singing  and  preaching. 
After  the  morning  service  he  jumps  on  his  horse,  chases  five 
to  seven  miles  to  another  congregation  where  the  same  labor 
must  be  repeated.  Soaked  by  rain,  covered  by  mud,  with  teeth 
chattering  from  the  cold,  or  in  summertime  panting  from  the 
heat,  the  pulpit  is  entered  to  conduct  the  service.  Then  per- 
haps there  are  several  children  to  be  baptized  at  different 
homes,  or  without  a  moment's  warning  the  minister  may  be 
asked  to  conduct  a  funeral  service." 

Owing  to  the  strenuous  pioneer  conditions  education  was 
greatly  neglected.  The  interests  and  thoughts  of  the  people 
moved  in  narrow  circles ;  as  a  consequence  the  thinking  was 
apt  to  be  very  crude,  and  the  manners  rude  and  familiar.  Plain 
sermons,  in  homely  speech  and  with  everyday  illustrations 
found  greatest  acceptance.  If  the  words  were  accompanied 
with  vigorous  gestures  and  loud  tones  so  much  the  better. 
"Furthermore  if  the  minister  with  a  pious  demeanor  was  also 
somewhat  careless  as  to  his  outward  appearance,  and  possessed 
a  jovial  and  familiar  manner  he  speedily  became  popular.  This 
popularity  was  still  further  enhanced  if  he  could  swing  an  ax 
vigorously,  handle  a  plow  dexterously,  perform  all  the  usual 


GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE  59 

work  on  the  farm,  and  unhesitatingly  mounted  a  load  of 
manure  and  drove  to  the  field.  Then  the  farmers  estimated 
him  as  a  true  apostle."  A  common  pastime  of  the  people  was 
to  put  catch  questions  to  the  minister  to  test  his  orthodoxy. 
Frequently  during  or  at  the  close  of  a  sermon  some  "brother" 
would  take  the  pastor  to  task  and  controvert  some  point  in  the 
sermon. 

Rev.  Herbruck  during  these  first  years  had  a  great  variety 
of  such  annoyances.  Several  of  these  will  be  given. 

The  majority  of  his  parishioners  were  Pennsylvania  Ger- 
mans, and  so  frequently  misunderstood  the  meaning  of  his 
high  German  sermons.  On  one  occasion  he  was  emphasizing 
the  necessity  of  starting  a  German  school.  To  make  the  mat- 
ter still  more  impressive  he  said  among  other  things,  "We  need 
not  be  ashamed  to  be  Germans.  Where  was  printing  discov- 
ered? In  Germany.  Who  invented  gunpowder?  A  German, 
etc.,  etc."  Unfortunately  some  of  the  American  Germans 
failed  to  grasp  the  purpose  of  the  sermon,  and  scattered  the 
news  that  the  preacher  had  declared  that  Americans  were  not 
worth  a  shot  of  powder.  Great  indignation  broke  out.  In 
order  to  set  matters  right  it  was  necessary  for  Rev.  Herbruck 
to  draw  up  a  written  statement,  signed  by  a  number  of  intelli- 
gent people,  denying  the  rumors  which  were  being  circulated. 
In  spite  of  all  this  the  enmity  engendered  endured  for  some 
years. 

Again  when  the  cornerstone  of  the  Zion's  church  was  laid 
Rev.  Herbruck  was  invited  to  dinner  by  one  of  the  members. 
Upon  leaving  the  minister  said,  "You  and  your  wife  come  and 
see  me  sometime ;  but  not  during  the  next  three  weeks  for  I 
am  going  to  Synod  and  then  will  visit  in  Pennsylvania,  and  will 
not  get  back  until  three  weeks  from  next  Thursday."  Then 
the  minister  promptly  dismissed  the  matter  from  his  mind. 
But  not  so  the  erstwhile  host.  Promptly  on  Thursday  morn- 
ing three  weeks  later  he  arrived  with  his  wife  for  dinner.  Now 
it  had  so  happened  that  Rev.  Herbruck  and  his  wife  had  been 
called  away  by  some  church  duties  on  that  day,  nevertheless 
their  absence  greatly  incensed  the  man.  He  left  exclaiming, 


60  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

"Na,  that's  a  nice  preacher;  here  he  invites  a  fellow  to  come 
and  eat  with  him,  and  when  you  come  he  isn't  at  home.  I'll 
never  visit  him  again."  So  he  stayed  away  from  church  for 
two  months.  Suddenly  one  Sunday  morning  he  appeared 
again.  After  the  benediction,  while  the  congregation  was  still 
assembled,  he  broke  out,  "I  can't  stand  for  such  a  preacher  as 
Herbruck  is  any  longer.  I  know  something  entirely  too  evil 
about  him."  Then  the  man  hurried  from  the  church.  Imme- 
diately some  of  the  leading  members  surrounded  the  pastor 
and  inquired  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  scene.  Rev.  Herbruck 
told  them  that  the  only  possible  cause  known  to  him  for  the 
outbreak  was  his  absence  from  home  when  the  man  had  called 
with  his  wife  to  visit  the  preacher.  The  bystanders  contended 
that  the  man  could  not  be  so  foolish,  that  there  must  be  some 
other  cause.  So  a  delegation  was  formed  to  go  out  and  inter- 
view him.  Sure  enough,  the  only  cause  of  grievance  was  as 
the  minister  had  stated.  The  burst  of  laughter  that  greeted 
the  foolish  fellow  so  nettled  him,  that  he  asserted,  "Well,  I 
know  something  still  worse."  So  Rev.  Herbruck  asked :  Now, 
what  is  that?  The  answer  came,  "You  have  said  that  your 
horse  was  never  fed  at  the  church."  The  minister  then  asked 
the  bystanders :  Did  you  ever  have  any  oats  in  the  barn  during 
the  summer?  (The  barn  was  beside  the  church  and  was  used 
for  putting  up  the  horses  during  the  services.)  "No."  Did 
you  ever  feed  my  horse  ?  "No."  Then,  have  I  told  an  untruth  ? 
"No."  But  the  man  was  not  so  easily  subdued  and  declared, 
"Well,  you  should  not  have  said  so  anyhow,  and  especially  to  a 
Methodist  preacher."  The  consequence  was  that  he  held  a 
grudge  against  the  pastor  for  years. 

Just  one  more  incident  will  be  given.  One  Sunday  after- 
noon, Rev.  Herbruck  was  invited  to  stay  over  night  at  the  home 
of  a  member  of  one  of  the  distant  congregations.  He  declined, 
saying  that  he  had  left  a  sick  child  at  home  and  must  hurry 
back.  On  the  way  home  he  met  Rev.  Schlosser  who  informed 
him  that  the  child  was  much  better.  Then  Rev.  Herbruck 
accepted  the  invitation  of  another  member  to  remain  over  night. 
When  this  news  reached  the  first  man,  he  became  furious  and 


GETTING  SETTLED  IN  THE  CHARGE  61 

called  the  preacher  a  liar  and  some  other  things.  The  gossip 
became  so  serious,  that  Rev.  Herbruck  had  to  make  a  public 
explanation  from  the  pulpit  of  the  facts,  and  present  a  written 
certificate  signed  by  Rev.  Schlosser  stating  that  his  original 
plan  of  going  home  had  only  been  altered  by  the  information 
given  by  Rev.  Schlosser  that  the  child  was  out  of  danger. 

During  this  period  the  relations  between  the  Reformed 
and  Lutheran  denominations  and  ministers  were  very  close. 
The  Ohio  Synod  and  the  Lutheran  Synod  interchanged  dele- 
gates from  the  beginning.  In  1834  the  Ohio  Synod  "accepts 
with  rejoicing"  the  offer  of  the  Lutherans  to  admit  Reformed 
students  for  the  ministry  to  their  seminary  at  Columbus  "with 
common  and  equal  privileges."  A  few  years  later  the  Ohio 
Synod  declared  itself  in  favor  of  an  organic  union  with  the 
Lutheran  Synod  in  these  words,  "We  are  convinced  of  the 
infinite  benefit  of  such  a  union,  not  only  as  it  concerns  the  con- 
gregations but  also  for  the  ministers."  A  committee  on  union 
was  also  appointed.  Nothing  came  of  this  movement,  mainly 
because  the  Lutheran  ministers  were  unwilling  to  enter  into 
such  a  union.  Many  of  the  congregations  and  pastors  of  both 
denominations,  however,  were  working  together  in  perfect 
harmony.  Rev.  Herbruck  in  the  union  congregations  used 
either  the  Reformed  or  the  Lutheran  catechism  for  his  cate- 
chetical instruction,  according  to  the  preference  of  the  catechu- 
mens. On  the  days  when  the  Reformed  minister  was  officiat- 
ing at  one  of  the  other  congregations,  his  Lutheran  colleague 
would  instruct  the  union  class  from  both  catechisms.  There  is 
also  abundant  evidence  that  Rev.  Herbruck  frequently  con- 
firmed those  who  preferred  the  Lutheran  faith  as  Lutherans, 
and  the  rest  as  Reformed  at  the  same  serivce. 

A  little  incident  which  occurred  at  one  of  the  meetings  of 
the  Synod  deserves  to  be  given  here.  Each  elder  who  was  sent 
as  a  delegate  by  a  charge  would  be  called  upon  to  answer  any 
questions  which  might  be  put  concerning  conditions  in  the  con- 
gregations. One  of  these  delegates  who  was  in  attendance  for 
the  first  time  was  asked  by  the  president  of  the  Synod :  "And 
how  is  your  minister  getting  along?"  He  answered:  "Well, 


62  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

he  is  getting  along  pretty  good,  he  already  has  a  cow  and  a 
pig."  My  dear  brother,  said  the  president,  preserving  his  grav- 
ity with  difficulty,  we  do  not  inquire  about  that,  but  rather, 
how  does  the  congregation  like  the  minister?  Quite  unabashed, 
the  elder  answered :  "Oh,  as  to  that,  we  like  him  awful  well." 
(Wir  gleichen  ihn  arg  gut.) 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  OF  THE 
REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  OHIO 

THE  title  of  this  chapter  was  the  official  name  of  the  first 
educational  institution  of  the  Reformed  Church  west  of 
the  Pennsylvania  boundary.  This  institution  was  located  in 
Canton,  possessed  just  one  teacher  who  was  ordained  in  our 
church  as  theological  professor,  and  after  a  precarious  exist- 
ence of  about  eighteen  months,  quietly  died. 

This  movement  to  found  a  seminary  in  Canton  was  of  so 
much  importance  in  itself,  and  the  relations  between  the  move- 
ment and  the  Canton  charge  were  so  close  that  some  of  the 
chief  facts  concerning  this  seminary  project  must  be  presented. 

Most  of  the  ministers  in  Ohio  during  the  first  third  of  the 
last  century  were  men  who  had  very  meager  educational  advan- 
tages, and  could  make  but  small  claim  to  scholarship.  Their 
preparation  for  the  ministry  consisted  for  the  most  part  in 
reading  a  few  theological  books  and  books  of  sermons  under 
the  direction  of  some  older  minister,  writing  a  few  sermons, 
and  immediately  going  out  and  trying  the  sermon  on  some 
audience.  The  dearth  of  ministers  was  so  great  that  every 
man  who  could  speak  with  some  acceptance  was  quickly  chosen 
by  a  congregation.  The  Synod  was  very  lenient  in  its  educa- 
tional requirements  and  ordinarily  ordained  every  man  who 
had  received  a  call  and  whose  character  was  above  reproach. 
The  clergy  so  trained  had  but  little  real  scholarship,  but  were 
generally  men  of  good  common-sense,  knowledge  of  human 
nature  from  practical  experience,  and  possessed  a  keen  under- 
standing of  the  needs  of  the  people.  Nevertheless  the  neces- 
sity of  an  educational  institution  for  training  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  ministers  became  yearly  more  insistent. 

As  early  as  1833  the  Ohio  Synod  had  declared  its  inten- 
tion "of  establishing  an  institution  for  the  education  of  worthy 

63 


64  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

young  men  for  the  Gospel  ministry,  that  the  vacant  places  of 
the  West  may  be  filled  with  the  Word  and  Gospel  of  life." 
However,  the  Synod  was  too  weak  numerically  and  the  congre- 
gations were  too  poor  financially  to  carry  out  the  project.  Two 
years  later  the  West  Pennsylvania  Classis,  also  feeling  the  need 
of  a  seminary  in  the  West,  entered  into  negotiations  with  the 
Ohio  Synod  concerning  the  feasibility  of  uniting  into  one  body 
and  thus  maintaining  a  seminary  together.  As  a  result  of  these 
negotiations  the  Ohio  Synod  and  the  West  Pennsylvania  Clas- 
sis met  together  in  Osnaburg  in  1837,  and  a  new  organization 
was  effected  to  be  known  as  "The  High  German  Evangelical- 
Reformed  Synod  of  Ohio  and  Adjacent  States."  A  plan  for 
founding  a  Theological  Seminary  was  also  proposed,  but  defi- 
nite action  was  deferred  until  the  next  annual  meeting. 

One  of  the  ministers  of  the  West  Pennsylvania  Classis  in 
attendance  at  Osnaburg  was  Rev.  John  Godfrey  Buettner.  Rev. 
Buettner  had  received  his  theological  training  in  Germany,  hav- 
ing studied  in  the  universities  at  Leipsic  and  Jena,  and  received 
the  degree  of  doctor  of  philosophy  from  the  latter  institution 
in  1834.  The  same  year  he  also  came  to  America  and  was 
licensed  and  ordained  by  the  West  Pennsylvania  Classis  the 
following  spring.  The  Classis  appointed  him  as  a  missionary 
among  the  Germans,  and  for  two  years  he  travelled  in  Ohio, 
and  as  far  west  as  St.  Louis ;  another  journey  carried  him  to 
some  of  the  eastern  states.  After  the  meeting  at  Osnaburg 
he  was  instructed  to  continue  his  missionary  explorations  and 
travel  in  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  according  to 
his  own  judgment  and  pleasure.  In  travelling  westward  from 
Pittsburgh,  Dr.  Buettner  came  again  to  Osnaburg  only  a  few 
months  after  his  previous  visit. 

In  the  last  chapter  it  was  stated  that  the  congregation 
at  Osnaburg  had  been  divided  into  two  factions ;  the  one  desir- 
ing Rev.  Geo.  Schlosser,  the  other  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck.  The 
Synod  in  1835  had  decided  the  controversy  by  declaring  that 
the  congregation  should  belong  to  Rev.  Herbruck  from  New 
Year's  day  in  1836.  The  Schlosser  faction,  however,  seems  to 
have  paid  no  attention  to  this  decision  and  Rev.  Schlosser  con- 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  IN  OHIO  65 

tinued  preaching  until  the  summer  of  1837.  The  feeling  of 
the  two  factions  towards  one  another  cannot  have  been  very 
pleasant,  and  finally  Rev.  Schlosser  decided  to  give  up  Osna- 
burg.  Just  at  this  juncture  Dr.  Buettner  visited  Osnaburg  the 
second  time,  intending  to  remain  only  a  day  or  two.  He  was 
asked  to  preach  again ;  the  two  factions  were  willing  to  unite 
and  extend  him  a  call  to  become  pastor,  and  after  some  hesita- 
tion he  decided  to  remain.  This  meant  an  abandoning  of  his 
missionary  travels ;  but,  as  he  says  "The  congregation  promised 
a  salary  of  $100.00  for  the  year,  which  was  about  double  the 
best  previous  amount  given."  Of  the  people  of  the  village  at 
that  time  Dr.  Buettner  further  says  "Nearly  all  the  inhabitants 
speak  German,  so  that  one  can  easily  imagine  himself  to  be  in 
a  German  village.  Nowhere  else  in  the  West  did  I  find  anoth- 
er village  in  which  so  much  German  was  spoken." 

Dr.  Buettner  also  began  to  preach  in  Massillon.  The 
German  congregation  there  had  been  rent  by  factions  and  strife, 
and  many  of  the  members  had  left  the  church  in  disgust  and 
refused  to  have  anything  further  to  do  with  it.  Dr.  Buettner 
was  determined  to  try  to  gather  the  congregation  together  again 
and  hence  began  services  in  the  basement  of  the  Baptist  church. 
The  audiences  after  some  weeks  began  to  increase,  the  scat- 
tered members  came  back,  and  the  congregation  was  reorgan- 
ized. A  new  constitution  was  adopted  and  the  congregation 
was  incorporated  as  "The  German  Evangelical-Protestant 
Church  of  Massillon."  In  the  former  constitution  of  the 
church  a  ludicrous  article  had  been  incorporated,  reading, 
"Whenever  the  preacher  preaches  more  than  one  hour  it  is  per- 
missible to  give  him  a  sign  which,  however,  shall  not  cause  any 
disturbance."  This  time-limit  was  omitted  in  the  new  consti- 
tution. 

Dr.  Buettner  began  his  work  in  Osnaburg  in  August.  The 
following  spring  the  union  meeting  of  the  "Synod  of  Ohio  and 
Adjacent  States"  was  to  take  place  at  Wooster.  At  this  meet- 
ing the  proposed  plan  for  a  theological  seminary  was  adopted 
and  an  election  for  professor  was  held.  There  were  six  nom- 
inees for  the  position.  Dr.  Buettner  received  seven  more  votes 


66  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

than  all  the  rest  together.  The  Synod  fixed  his  salary  at 
$250.00  a  year  provided  the  new  professor  furnished  the  lec- 
ture room  himself;  or,  if  the  Synod  furnished  the  room,  the 
salary  was  to  be  $230.00.  The  new  seminary  was  to  be  located 
in  Canton  whither  Dr.  Buettner  was  instructed  to  move.  He 
was  also  to  continue  as  pastor  at  Osnaburg  and  Massillon. 

Dr.  Buettner  sometime  during  the  summer  moved  to  Can- 
ton with  his  wife  whom  he  had  married  in  Osnaburg  and  occu- 
pied a  house  on  the- west  side  of  Market  Street,  south,  between 
Second  and  Third  Street.  The  site  is  now  occupied  by  the 
Dumont  Grocery  store. 

The  service  of  inauguration  for  the  new  professor  took 
place  in  our  church  on  August  14,  1838,  and  was  in  charge  of 
Rev.  Herbruck,  who  also  read  the  service  of  installation.  Rev. 
Geo.  Schlosser  led  in  prayer,  Rev.  C.  L.  Daubert  preached  the 
sermon,  and  Dr.  Buettner  delivered  an  address.  "The  Canton 
Repository"  in  its  issue  of  August  23,  gave  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  affair:  "At  the  late  meeting  of  the  German  Re- 
formed Synod  of  Ohio  and  the  congregations  in  connection 
with  it  from  other  states,  among  other  things  it  was  resolved 
to  establish  a  theological  seminary.  The  Rev'd  Dr.  J.  G.  Buett- 
ner was  selected  professor,  and  we  are  happy  to  learn,  that  for 
the  present  at  least,  this  institution  is  to  be  located  in  Canton. 
On  the  15th  inst.,  Dr.  Buettner  was  regularly  installed  Profes- 
sor of  the  institution.  We  learn  that  active  arrangements  are 
in  progress  to  commence  operations  at  an  early  date.  The  cit- 
izens of  Canton  ought  duly  to  appreciate  the  importance  of 
such  an  institution,  and  patronize  it  accordingly." 

The  committee  of  the  Synod  who  had  the  arrangements 
for  the  opening  of  the  Seminary  in  charge  also  inserted  a 
lengthy  advertisement  in  the  "Repository"  which  appeared  in 
eight  issues.  The  advertisement  stated  that,  "The  Rev'd  Dr. 
J.  G.  Buettner  is  a  man  whose  theological  and  philological 
acquirements  recommend  Him  to  all  who  desire  a  thorough 
theological  education  and  whom  the  committee  feel  proud  to 
recommend  to  the  Christian  public  for  his  orthodox  doctrine, 
integrity  and  moral  worth.  All  lectures  will  be  given  in  the 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  IN  OHIO  67 

German  and  English  language  if  required,  and  no  efforts 
spared  to  qualify  students  to  preach  in  both  languages." 

The  Seminary  opened  on  October  1,  with  two  students ; 
but,  owing  to  the  ambitious  and  difficult  course  of  studies  which 
Dr.  Buettner  had  planned,  one  of  them  stayed  only  three  weeks 
and  the  other  about  one  year.  They  then  hunted  up  another 
preacher  who  was  not  quite  so  learned — an  easy  matter  at  that 
time — and  studied  under  his  direction. 

Dr.  Buettner  during  his  professorship  conceived  the  idea 
also  that  he  ought  to  serve  the  Canton  congregation  since  Rev. 
Herbruck  had  quite  enough  to  do  even  without  the  local  con- 
gregation. The  manner  in  which  he  undertook  to  carry  out 
his  plan  is  vividly  described  by  Rev.  Herbruck  as  follows : 

"For  several  years  things  had  run  along  smoothly,  when 

suddenly  a  certain  Prof.  B and  the  Rev.  Sch appeared 

at  my  house.     After  we  had  dinner  together,  Rev.  Sch 

said  :  "Now  I  will  tell  you  why  we  came  here.  The  Herr  Pro- 
fessor would  like  to  have  your  congregation  here  in  Canton." 
I  answered  that  I  could  not  give  up  the  congregation  to  the 
Herr  Professor.  The  Professor  then  said,  "If  you  do  not  give 
up  the  congregation  of  your  own  accord,  I  will  get  it  anyhow." 

"At  that  time  the  church  building  belonged  jointly  to  the 
Lutherans  and  the  Reformed.  The  Herr  Professor  went  to 
the  Lutheran  minister  and  secured  permission  from  him  to 
preach  on  one  of  his  Sundays,  and  announced  his  object  to  the 
Reformed  people  who  were  present.  But  the  consistory  of  the 
Reformed  congregation  soon  notified  the  Herr  Professor  that 
he  could  not  be  used.  Thus  this  incident  also  was  settled." 

Some  months  after  this  when  the  Herr  Professor  also 
found  himself  without  any  students,  he  resigned,  and  returned 
to  Germany.  About  the  only  thing  that  remained  of  the  Sem- 
inary was  an  old-fashioned  stove,  which  was  exhibited  for 
years  as  a  relic  of  the  ruined  hope.  Then  the  stove  also  dis- 
appeared, and  the  last  memento  of  the  seminary  was  gone. 

In  1848,  a  second  attempt  was  made  to  found  an  educa- 
tional institution  in  Columbus  with  the  name,  "The  Ohio  Liter- 


68  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ary  and  Theological  Institution."  This  attempt  also  did  not 
prosper. 

Finally  in  1850,  Heidelberg  College  in  Tiffin  was  opened 
with  seven  students,  in  rooms  rented  for  recitation  purposes. 
This  venture  proved  an  immediate  success,  and  has  developed 
into  the  magnificent  educational  institution  of  Heidelberg  Uni- 
versity at  Tiffin,  Ohio,  and  Central  Theological  Seminary  now 
located  at  Dayton,  Ohio. 

It  is  in  vain  now  to  dream  of  what  might  have  been  if  the 
Canton  attempt  at  founding  an  educational  institution  had  been 
a  success.  It  is  useless  to  speculate  on  the  tremendous  loss  to 
Canton  as  a  community  and  the  local  Reformed  congregations 
because  the  project  failed.  Nevertheless  the  thought  of  what 
we  have  missed  in  intellectual  quickening,  Christian  culture, 
and  educational  advantage  is  enough  to  make  every  member  of 
the  Reformed  Church  here  hide  his  face  in  the  dust  and  weep 
bitter  tears. 

Reasons  might  be  enumerated  to  account  for  the  failure  of 
the  seminary  here.  Aside  from  the  fact  that  the  general  church 
membership  had  but  a  scant  appreciation  of  the  need  of  such 
an  institution  and  gave  it  very  meager  support,  a  number  of 
other  causes  were  also  operative.  Thus,  Dr.  Buettner  was  a 
strong  union  man  and  used  all  his  influence  to  bring  the  Re- 
formed and  Lutheran  Synods  into  one  corporate  organization. 
The  Reformed  denominational  consciousness,  however,  was 
too  strong,  and  the  majority  of  the  membership  were  opposed 
to  his  activities  in  that  direction.  Then  also,  he  was  a  man  of 
thorough  scholarship,  and  planned  a  course  of  study  absolutely 
appalling  to  the  students  who  recalled  the  quick  and  easy  route 
by  which  their  own  pastors  had  broken  into  the  ministerial 
ranks.  Besides  this  he  could  not  adjust  himself  readily  to  the 
shocks  which  American  customs  and  ways  constantly  gave  his 
German  predispositions.  In  addition,  he  was  strongly  opposed 
to  evangelistic  services,  and  revival  meetings  while  many  of 
the  Ohio  ministers  were  very  much  in  favor  of  them.  All 
these  causes  worked  together  to  prevent  the  success  of  the 
Seminary. 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  IN  OHIO  69 

The  experiences  through  which  Dr.  Buettner  passed  as 
travelling  missionary,  pastor,  and  professor,  he  later  embodied 
in  two  volumes  of  about  four-hundred  and  fifty  pages  each, 
entitled  "My  Residence  and  Travels  in  North  America."  This 
work  is  especially  valuable  for  its  interesting  descriptions  of 
Reformed  church-life  as  it  was  found  in  1834-40.  Two  other 
books  of  abiding  value  also  came  from  his  pen,  namely,  "A 
History  of  the  High  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States,"  and  "A  Brief  History  of  the  Reformation."  After 
his  return  to  Germany  (1840)  he  continued  his  work  as  pastor 
to  the  end  of  his  life. 

During  the  time  that  Dr.  Buettner  lived  in  Canton,  Rev. 
Herb  ruck  zealously  attended  to  the  work  of  his  vast  parish, 
and  even  extended  his  missionary  activities  to  Portage  County 
and  founded  a  new  congregation  there.  Of  his  work  and 
experience  in  connection  with  this  new  congregation,  he  says : 

"I  also  founded  a  congregation  in  Portage  County,  twenty- 
two  miles  from  Canton.  A  journey  which  I  once  made  there, 
still  stands  out  vividly  in  my  memory.  One  day  coming  home 
from  one  of  the  country  churches,  my  neighbor  saw  how  tired 
my  horse  was.  So  he  said  to  me:  "Mr.  Herbruck,  you  are 
killing  your  horse.  Now  I  have  a  strong  horse  in  the  barn, 
that  is  doing  nothing,  use  it  occasionally,  and  let  yours  rest." 
I  gladly  told  him  that  I  would  be  delighted  to  accept  his  kind 
offer.  Several  days  after,  I  was  to  conduct  a  funeral  service  in 
Portage  County  near  Limaville.  So  I  went  to  my  neighbor 
and  asked  for  his  horse  for  the  next  day.  "Certainly  you  can 
use  it,"  he  said,  "I  will  bring  it  over  early  in  the  morning."  The 
next  morning  he  brought  the  horse  over,  and  helped  me  to  hitch 
up.  A  young  man  from  Canton  was  to  accompany  me.  Just 
as  we  were  driving  away,  my  neighbor  said:  "Mr.  Herbruck, 
I  must  caution  you  on  a  certain  point  so  that  you  will  not  be- 
come frightened  if  it  should  happen.  This  horse  once  in  a 
while  when  it  has  to  pull  hard  becomes  stubborn  and  refuses 
to  go  on.  In  such  a  case  just  coax  it  a  little  and  it  will  start 
out  again."  I  asked  whether  the  beast  had  the  habit  of  kick- 
ing and  he  said,  No.  So  we  drove  off.  After  going  about  three 


70  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

miles,  we  came  to  a  mudhole  several  rods  across,  and  extend- 
ing the  entire  width  of  the  road.  I  said  to  my  companion, 
Now  we  are  in  for  it,  you  know  what  my  neighbor  said.  If 
we  drive  in  here  and  the  horse  stops,  what  will  we  do?  He 
said,  "I  will  get  out  of  the  buggy  and  the  horse  can  pull  you 
through  all  right."  So  he  got  out.  But  even  so,  I  did  not  dare 
to  drive  through  the  mud.  So  I  began  to  philosophize,  thinking 
to  myself,  My  neighbor  says  if  the  horse  has  to  pull  very  hard, 
it  will  stop.  How  would  it  be  therefore  if  you  were  to  get  out 
of  the  wagon  and  sit  on  the  horse,  and  then  it  will  not  have  to 
pull  but  carry  you.  So  I  got  up  on  the  horse,  and  drove  into 
the  mudhole.  In  the  very  middle  the  horse  stood  still.  So 
according  to  the  instructions  of  my  neighbor  I  began  to  coax, 
but  it  was  no  use.  Then  I  gave  it  a  couple  of  jabs  in  the  ribs 
with  my  heels.  Suddenly,  platsch,  the  horse  lay  down  in  the 
mud,  with  the  preacher  still  sitting  on  top.  My  companion  at 
once  came  to  my  assistance  and  we  unhitched  the  horse  and 
led  it  out  of  the  mudhole.  Then  we  pulled  the  buggy  over 
ourselves  and  hitching  up  again  drove  on.  But  we  both  were 
certainly  sights  to  behold.  My  boots  were  full  of  water  and 
mud,  and  my  trousers  were  mud  beplastered  to  the  knees. 

"On  the  way  I  stopped  at  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  Peter's 
congregation.  He  loaned  me  a  pair  of  boots,  stockings  and 
trousers.  On  my  return  I  found  that  his  wife  had  cleaned  all 
my  things  in  fine  style,  so  I  got  into  them  and  drove  home.  But 
I  never  borrowed  that  horse  again." 

Though  it  may  not  belong  to  the  general  subject  matter  of 
this  chapter,  nevertheless  since  it  adds  to  an  understanding  of 
the  social  and  church  conditions  of  that  period,  the  account  of 
a  missionary  trip  made  by  Rev.  Herbruck  in  1840  will  be 
appended.  The  narrative  has  been  considerably  condensed 
from  the  original  account  as  written  down  by  Rev.  Herbruck. 

"In  the  year  1840  I  received  an  invitation  to  visit  Miami 
County,  Ind.  A  number  of  families  lived  there  rather  close 
together  who  had  formerly  been  members  of  one  of  my  con- 
gregations. For  several  years  they  had  heard  no  sermon  there 
nor  been  able  to  receive  the  Lord's  supper.  So  in  the  summer 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  IN  OHIO  71 

of  1840  I  started  out  in  company  with  a  member  of  the  Canton 
congregation.  We  went  on  foot  to  Massillon.  From  there  we 
rode  by  canal  boat  to  Cleveland,  and  then  across  the  lake  to 
Toledo.  As  the  canal  was  not  yet  completed  from  Toledo  to 
Defiance  we  had  to  hire  an  Irishman  with  two  horses  and  a 
spring  wagon  to  take  us  to  Defiance.  A  Catholic  priest  whom 
we  had  met  on  the  boat  had  joined  our  company  and  together 
we  had  to  pay  $4.50  to  make  the  trip.  Night  overtook  us  in 
the  midst  of  the  woods  and  we  found  lodging  for  a  few  hours 
in  a  little  log  cabin.  By  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  jour- 
ney was  resumed.  Though  the  stars  shone  brightly  it  was  very 
dark  in  the  woods.  The  road  was  new,  many  stumps  still 
stood  even  in  the  wagon  tracks,  and  mud  holes  were  a  plenty. 
The  priest  dropped  asleep,  but  when  ever  the  wagon  hit  a 
stump  he  would  jump  up  greatly  frightened.  This  won't  do, 
he  said,  we  must  start  something  to  keep  awake.  So  we  decid- 
ed that  each  one  was  to  sing  a  song.  We  did  so.  But  while 
the  Irishman  was  singing  he  forgot  about  his  driving,  and  sud- 
denly upset  us  into  a  bottomless  mudhole.  I  was  sticking  in 
the  mud  where  it  was  deepest  and  the  wagonbox  lay  on  top  of 
me.  I  heard  the  priest  groaning,  for  he  had  been  injured. 
But  when  the  driver  pulled  the  box  off  of  me  and  I  crawled 
out  of  the  mud  looking  like  a  mudturtle,  he  had  to  laugh  in 
spite  of  his  pain.  Fortunately  the  wagon  had  not  been  broken, 
so  we  turned  it  right  side  up  and  drove  on.  From  that  time 
on  the  priest  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  awake  without  sing- 
ing. By  twelve  o'clock  we  were  in  Defiance.  From  there  we 
travelled  on  the  canal  to  Ft.  Wayne.  At  Ft.  Wayne  the  priest 
left  us  and  we  hunted  up  a  German  tavern. 

"A  few  years  before  this  visit,  a  relative  of  my  wife  had 
lodged  in  Ft.  Wayne  over  night,  and  had  been  robbed  of 
$500.00,  which  he  had  placed  under  his  pillow.  As  he  suspect- 
ed the  proprietor  of  being  the  robber  he  described  both  the  man 
and  the  place  to  us  upon  his  return.  The  place  where  this  man 
had  been  robbed  was  a  small  log  cabin;  hence  we  carefully 
avoided  such  a  lodging  place,  and  selected  a  nice,  new  frame 
tavern  instead.  But  as  soon  as  I  saw  the  proprietor,  I  began 


72  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

to  suspect  that  he  was  the  individual  who  had  stolen  the 
$500.00.  After  supper  I  sat  down  on  the  bench  in  front  of  the 
house.  A  stranger  sat  down  beside  me  and  we  fell  into  a  con- 
versation. I  asked  him  whether  the  tavern  was  considered 
safe.  Oh  yes,  said  he,  I  think  it's  all  right,  the  proprietor 
seems  to  be  making  money.  Not  very  long  ago,  he  lived  in  a 
small  log  cabin,  and  now  he  has  erected  this  fine  frame  build- 
ing. When  I  heard  that,  I  was  certain  that  I  had  got  into  the 
very  place,  I  had  wished  to  avoid.  So  I  called  my  companion 
and  said  to  him :  I  won't  stay  here,  and  told  him  why.  But  he 
laughed  and  said,  We  have  two  pistols  with  us,  and  can  take 
care  of  ourselves.  At  bedtime  we  asked  for  our  satchels,  and 
obtained  them  only  with  considerable  difficulty.  The  room 
assigned  us  had  neither  lock  nor  bolt,  so  I  placed  a  table  before 
the  door  and  a  chair  on  the  table  leaning  against  the  door  in 
such  a  way  that  if  the  door  were  moved  the  chair  must  fall 
and  awake  us.  Placing  the  pistols  close  at  hand  we  tried  to 
sleep.  I  could  not  sleep,  however,  and  about  twelve  o'clock 
I  heard  someone  creeping  cautiously  up  the  stairs.  I  awoke 
my  companion.  In  a  moment  the  door  was  pushed  slightly.  I 
called  but  received  no  answer.  In  a  little  while  the  door  was 
pushed  again.  Then  I  jumped  up,  seized  a  pistol  and  called, 
Whoever  is  there,  stay  out,  or  I  will  shoot.  The  clicking  of 
the  hammer  as  the  pistol  was  cocked  frightened  the  fellow  and 
we  heard  him  hurrying  down  the  stairs.  If  the  poor  scamp 
had  known  what  a  poor  shot  I  was,  he  would  have  had  no  fear. 
I  do  not  believe  I  would  have  shot,  and  even  if  I  had,  I  would 
never  have  hit  him.  I  always  did  have  the  habit  when  shooting 
off  a  pistol  or  gun  of  carefully  closing  my  eyes. 

"The  next  day  we  rode  down  the  canal  to  Huntington.  At 
that  time  Huntington  was  a  little  village  of  about  eighteen 
houses,  if  I  remember  rightly.  In  the  neighborhood  were  a 
number  of  families  formerly  belonging  to  my  parish  in  Ohio. 
These  I  looked  up.  In  the  second  home  that  I  entered,  the 
father  and  children  greeted  me  with  tears,  saying  that  the 
mother  had  been  buried  four  weeks  before,  but  they  had  been 
unable  to  find  a  minister  to  conduct  a  service.  So  I  acceded 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  IN  OHIO  73 

to  their  wish  and  conducted  a  funeral  service  in  a  school  house 
before  a  reverent  congregation.  In  the  village  of  Huntington 
I  also  preached  in  a  schoolhouse  and  conducted  a  funeral  serv- 
ice. One  of  the  farmers  loaned  us  two  horses  and  so  my  com- 
panion and  I  also  rode  to  Miami  County,  where  I  preached  in 
private  houses  four  times,  administered  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
baptized  a  number  of  children.  I  was  told  that  no  Reformed 
minister  had  ever  visited  that  community  before.  On  the  re- 
turn trip  from  there,  a  forest  several  miles  in  extent  had  to  be 
traversed.  Suddenly  we  came  upon  a  clearing  in  which  there 
was  a  little  log  cabin.  A  woman  was  standing  at  the  washtub 
before  the  door.  She  looked  at  us  very  closely  and  suddenly 
cried  out:  Isn't  your  name  Herbruck?  After  receiving  my 
answer,  she  hurried  to  us,  and  began  to  weep,  saying,  "Oh,  how 
glad  I  am  to  see  you  again.  How  often  I  have  thought  of  you, 
and  desired  to  hear  you  preach."  I  discovered  that  I  had  con- 
firmed her  in  the  Zion's  congregation. 

"Having  returned  the  borrowed  horses  in  Huntington,  we 
started  for  our  dear  homes  again." 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS 

F^URING  the  first  ten  years  of  Rev.  Herbruck's  pastorate, 
*-**  three  perplexing  questions  gradually  forced  themselves 
upon  the  attention  of  the  congregations  as  well  as  the  pastor  of 
the  Canton  charge.  These  questions  had  to  do  respectively  with 
the  change  of  language  from  German  to  English,  with  the  tem- 
perance agitation  which  was  sweeping  over  the  state,  and  with 
the  new  measure  fanaticism  that  threatened  to  subvert  Re- 
formed denominational  consciousness  and  customs. 

The  first  question  that  demanded  consideration  was  the 
language  in  which  the  services  should  be  conducted.  In  1826, 
the  minutes  of  the  Ohio  Synod  were  printed  in  English  for  the 
first  time.  That  year  Rev.  Faust  requested  only  ten  English 
copies  for  all  his  congregations,  but  within  four  years  the  num- 
ber of  English  copies  needed  had  increased  to  one-fourth  of 
the  entire  number  requested  by  the  charge.  The  cause  of  this 
rapid  change  to  the  English  is  very  plain.  The  majority  of  the 
early  settlers  were  Pennsylvania  Germans.  Their  children 
grew  up  with  only  scant  school  opportunities  at  best ;  and  such 
educational  facilities  as  were  available  were  all  English.  Con- 
sequently there  was  an  ever  lessening  number  who  could  read 
and  use  the  German.  It  was  almost  imperative  therefore  that 
the  pastor  of  the  Canton  charge  should  be  able  to  officiate  in 
both  languages.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  chief  reason  why 
the  congregations  hesitated  at  the  beginning  to  call  Mr.  Her- 
bruck  as  regular  pastor.  After  he  had  taken  complete  charge 
of  the  congregations  there  thus  remained  little  groups  of  mem- 
bers throughout  the  charge  who  wanted  some  English  preach- 
ing. In  Canton  this  group,  not  seeing  any  way  of  attaining 
their  desire  united  in  1837  with  a  like  group  from  the  Lutheran 
congregation  and  organized  an  English  congregation  which 
later  became  the  Trinity  Lutheran  church.  Similar  losses  of 
members  occurred  in  the  other  congregations  of  the  Canton 

74 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  75 

charge.  In  1837  Dr.  Buettner  declared  that  Osnaburg  was  the 
most  German  village  which  he  had  found  in  Ohio;  neverthe- 
less when  he  became  pastor  some  months  later  he  found  it  nec- 
essary to  conduct  his  catechetical  instructions  in  English  as 
well  as  German.  The  language  question  for  thirty-five  years 
remained  a  constant  source  of  irritation  in  the  congregations ; 
for  although  Rev.  Herbruck  later  became  quite  proficient  in  the 
use  of  the  English  language,  he  would  never  consent  to  use  it 
for  a  public  address  or  sermon. 

The  second  question  with  which  the  congregations  and  pas- 
tor had  to  grapple  had  to  do  with  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors.  The  use  of  intoxicants  was  all  but  universal.  The 
social  customs  and  ideals  of  the  people  "almost  enforced  the 
habit  of  drinking  in  ordinary  intercourse."  Drunkenness  and 
its  attendant  evils  had  increased  to  a  point  "of  which  it  is  diffi- 
cult for  us  at  this  date  to  form  a  clear  conception."  About 
1830  a  great  wave  of  temperance  agitation  swept  over  the  coun- 
try. The  movement  did  not  aim  especially  at  the  prohibition 
of  the  manufacture  or  sale  of  intoxicants,  but  rather  sought  to 
combat  drunkenness  by  breaking  down  the  prevalent  vicious 
social  usages,  and  upholding  and  inculcating  total  abstinence 
as  the  ideal  and  duty  of  the  Christian.  At  the  beginning  the 
movement  was  entirely  religious  without  attempting  to  invoke 
the  law  or  secure  prohibitory  legislation. 

The  early  pastors  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Ohio  fre- 
quently speak  of  the  prevalence  of  drunkenness  and  Sabbath- 
breaking,  and  hence,  quickly  gave  their  support  to  this  temper- 
ance movement,  which  showed  promise  of  effecting  a  decided 
reformation.  The  sentiment  in  the  Synod  was,  however,  not 
unanimous  and  tremendous  discussions  were  aroused.  These 
discussions  were  especially  acrid  in  the  second  district  of  the 
Ohio  Synod  to  which  the  Canton  charge  belonged. 

After  the  union  of  the  West  Pennsylvania  Classis  and  the 
Ohio  Synod  had  been  consummated  considerable  differences 
of  opinion  developed.  It  was  hoped  to  facilitate  the  process 
of  amalgamation  by  dividing  the  territory  into  three  districts 
which  would  meet  as  district  Synods  annually,  and  as  a  Gene- 


76  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ral  Synod  every  three  years.  The  former  West  Pennsylvania 
Classis  became  the  first  district ;  the  congregations  in  Virginia 
and  Ohio  east  of  Marietta,  Zanesville,  Columbus  and  Toledo 
were  in  the  second  district;  all  other  congregations  farther 
west  constituted  the  third  district.  This  division  was  made  in 
1839. 

In  1841  the  second  district  after  a  heated  discussion  passed 
the  following  resolution :  "We  consider  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  as  being  most  injurious  to  the  morals  and  health  of  the 
people ;  therefore  we  advise  the  members  of  the  congregations 
and  the  pastors  of  our  district  to  join  the  Temperance  Associa- 
tions ;  and  we  as  ministers  herewith  declare  that  we  will  abstain 
from  the  use  of  such  liquors." 

Against  this  resolution  eight  of  the  ministers  presented  a 
minority  report  which  is  recorded  in  the  minutes  together  with 
their  names.  In  this  report  the  protesting  brethren  solemnly 
aver  their  opposition  to  the  resolution  passed,  "Because  on  no 
page  of  Holy  Scripture  can  we  find  that  the  use  of  excellent, 
spirituous  liquors  is  forbidden  or  accounted  as  injurious ;  and 
we  are  unwilling  to  burden  the  consciences  of  our  congrega- 
tions with  human  enactments.  But  we  do  agree  with  that 
which  the  apostle  says  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians  in  the 
third  chapter  in  the  second  half  of  the  fifteenth  verse.*" 

This  advanced  position  on  the  temperance  question,  taken 
by  the  Second  District  of  the  Ohio  Synod,  did  not  stand  by 
itself  in  the  Reformed  Church ;  but  was  probably  inspired  by 
the  resolutions  of  the  older  Synod  in  the  East  taken  the  year 
before  which  stated  that  "The  Synod  considers  the  influence 
of  intemperance  as  a  deplorable  hindrance  to  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel  and  equally  detrimental  to  the  temporal  and  eternal 
interests  of  mankind :  therefore,  be  it  resolved,  First,  that  we 


*  The  ministers  who  signed  this  minority  report  were  A.  Begeman, 
Peter  Herbruck,  D.  Rahauser,  J.  Schlosser,  N.  Franz,  J.  Schmidt,  A. 
Neu,  D.  Marburger.  The  quotation  referred  to  is  as  follows:  "And  if 
in  anything  ye  are  otherwise  minded,  this  also  shall  God  reveal  unto 
you."  The  quotation  seems  as  inappropriate  as  the  contents  of  the  reso- 
lution to  which  it  was  appended. 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  77 

will  not  only  abstain  from  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  for 
ourselves,  but  also,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  will  support  the  cause 
of  temperance  in  our  congregations,  by  our  influence ;  Second- 
ly, in  view  of  all  the  information  presented  concerning  the  evil 
effects  of  intemperance,  the  Synod  considers  the  manufacture, 
the  sale,  and  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  as  an  evil,  which 
should  be  banished  from  the  church." 

That  these  temperance  resolutions  of  the  higher  church 
courts  would  arouse  violent  opposition  was  to  be  expected; 
that  the  pastors  of  German  congregations  would  have  no  sym- 
pathy with  them  was  but  natural.  Throughout  the  Second 
District  up  to  the  beginning  of  the  temperance  agitation  those 
who  sold  intoxicants  were  considered  quite  as  respectable 
church  members  as  any  others,  the  taverns  were  the  common 
meeting-places  for  the  Germans,  while  the  tavern-keeper  was 
generally  one  of  the  most  liberal  supporters  of  the  church.  The 
German  pastors  found  themselves  in  a  serious  predicament.  If 
they  supported  the  temperance  movement  many  members  would 
turn  away  from  the  church  and  withhold  their  financial  sup- 
port ;  if  they  tried  to  remain  neutral,  the  friends  of  the  move- 
ment were  alienated  and  their  bitter  criticism  was  aroused. 
Even  if  the  members  of  the  German  congregations  left  to 
themselves  might  have  been  able  to  work  out  the  problem  in 
their  own  way,  they  were  not  permitted  to  do  so ;  but  became 
the  objects  of  violent  attacks  by  their  American  neighbor- 
churches.  The  German  pastors  were  publicly  assailed  as  "dead 
bones,"  "stumbling  blocks,"  "dutch  preachers,"  and  such  like 
pet  epithets.  Hence  it  can  be  easily  seen  that  many  congrega- 
tions and  some  pastors  looked  askance  at  the  prominence  which 
the  Synod  resolutions  gave  the  question. 

The  division  of  the  Ohio  Synod  into  three  district-synods 
which  met  annually  did  not  prove  satisfactory.  Instead  of  uni- 
fying the  Synod  it  threatened  to  disrupt  it.  As  the  meeting  of 
the  first  General  Synod  of  the  three  districts  approached  in 
1842,  it  became  clear  that  some  other  plan  must  be  adopted. 
The  meeting  was  held  in  our  Canton  church,  and  marked  an 
epoch  in  the  Reformed  church  history  of  Ohio.  The  district 


78  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

plan  was  abandoned,and  in  its  stead  the  territory  of  the  Synod 
was  divided  into  five  classes,*  which  were  to  meet  annually  in 
the  spring;  while  the  Synod  was  to  meet  annually  also,  but  in 
the  fall.  The  Canton  charge  became  a  part  of  the  Columbiana 
Classis.  Furthermore  a  plan  was  adopted  for  closer  union 
with  the  mother  Synod  in  the  East.  The  Ohio  Synod  adopted 
the  constitution  of  the  mother  Synod,  and  agreed  to  an  inter- 
change of  the  reports  on  the  state  of  religion  and  statistics, 
each  Synod  agreeing  to  print  both  reports  in  their  own  minutes ; 
besides  this,  each  Synod  was  to  send  two  fraternal  delegates 
to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  other,  such  delegates  having  the 
right  to  join  in  the  deliberations  and  to  vote. 

The  ministers  who  had  opposed  the  temperance  resolution 
in  the  Second  District  the  year  before,  brought  in  a  complaint 
at  this  meeting;  but  the  Synod  permitted  the  resolutions  to 
stand.  As  the  agitations  continued,  the  Synod  finally  in  1844 
passed  the  most  drastic  resolutions  of  its  history  in  the  words : 
"Resolved,  that  this  Synod  considers  the  custom  of  drinking 
brandy  or  using  spirituous  liquors  as  most  injurious,  and  de- 
structive of  all  principles  of  true  piety.  Resolved,  further- 
more, that  this  Synod  decidedly  disapproves  of  the  use  of 
spirituous  liquors  by  the  ministers,  and  takes  the  position  that 
all  who  are  guilty  in  this  particular  justly  deserve  the  severest 
censure  of  this  body  to  which  they  belong." 

Though  the  Synod  had  spoken  thus  clearly,  the  opposing 
minority  would  not  acquiesce.  This  is  indeed  greatly  to  be 
regretted.  Had  the  support  been  unanimous  among  the  min- 
isters, the  temperance  sentiment  and  position  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  Ohio  would  have  been  already  seventy  years  ago, 
as  advanced  as  it  is  today.  Though  Rev.  Herbruck  was  entire- 
ly conscientious  in  his  attitude  of  opposition  to  the  temperance 
convictions  of  the  Synod,  that  fact  did  not  shield  him  against 
the  untoward  consequences  that  followed.  Throughout  the 
charge  in  the  various  congregations  were  little  groups  who 

*  The  names  given  the  classes  were  Miami,  Lancaster,  Columbiana, 
Sandusky,  Westmoreland,  and  Erie.  The  first  four  were  in  Ohio,  the 
last  two  were  in  Pennsylvania. 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  79 

were  utterly  opposed  to  the  liquor  traffic.  Some  of  these  mem- 
bers bitterly  criticized  the  attitude  of  the  pastor;  others  sim- 
ply left  the  Reformed  Church.  This  departure  caused  a  two- 
fold loss :  it  removed  the  leaven  of  "dry  sentiment"  which  was 
sorely  needed  in  that  age  of  general  intemperance;  and  fur- 
thermore, other  and  most  undesirable  elements  were  attracted, 
and  for  a  half  century  the  congregations  of  the  Canton  charge 
became  the  welcome  haven  of  liquor  dealers,  saloon-keepers, 
and  bartenders.  Even  as  late  as  1880,  the  sentiment  of  the 
Canton  congregation  was  such  that  a  saloon-keeper  was  per- 
mitted to  act  as  a  Sunday-school  teacher  and  leader  of  the 
choir. 

The  third  and  most  momentous  question  of  all  had  to  do 
with  the  so-called  "new-measures"  movement.  These  "new- 
measures"  borrowed  largely  from  Methodist  and  Presbyterian 
sources,  consisted  of  series  of  revival  meetings,  meetings  for 
prayer  and  relating  of  religious  experiences,  and  especially  the 
use  of  the  mourner's  bench.  The  mourner's  bench  was  simply 
the  front  pew  which  the  preacher  urged  those  to  occupy  who 
professed  "conversion,"  desired  "to  get  religion,"  or  wished  to 
"consecrate"  their  lives  anew  to  God.  As  long  as  these  new 
methods  were  introduced  judiciously  and  used  with  proper 
decorum  they  met  with  comparatively  little  opposition,  and  real 
good  was  accomplished  in  awakening  apathetic  church-mem- 
bers satisfied  with  the  mere  outward  forms  of  religion.  As 
the  movement  spread,  however,  the  enthusiasts  for  the  new 
measures  among  the  ministers  were  quite  swept  from  their  Re- 
formed moorings  and  fell  into  astonishing  excesses.  Probably 
nowhere  in  Ohio  did  these  excesses  surpass  the  heights  reached 
in  Stark  and  surrounding  counties  between  1840  and  1846. 
Furthermore  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  events  more  strenu- 
ous and  exciting  could  have  transpired  anywhere  than  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Canton  charge. 

Most  of  the  neighboring  Reformed  preachers  had  gone  in 
for  the  "new  measures"  with  great  enthusiasm,  but  Rev.  Her- 
bruck  was  determined  to  adhere  faithfully  to  "the  old  foun- 
dations and  customs"  of  the  Reformed  Church  as  he  had 


80  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

always  held  them.  The  "new  measure"  men  made  an  effort  to 
win  him  over  to  their  side.  The  effort  and  its  result  make 
interesting  reading  in  Rev.  Herbruck's  own  words : 

"At  that  time,  I  was  the  only  Reformed  minister  in  Stark 
County,  so  far  as  my  recollection  goes,  who  still  held  to  the  old 
foundations  and  customs  of  our  beloved  Reformed  Church.  At 
the  beginning  the  attempt  was  made  to  persuade  me  with  nice 
words  to  adopt  the  'new-measure'  ideas.  One  minister  came 
to  my  house  and  used  all  his  powers  of  persuasion  in  the  effort 
to  swing  me  into  the  movement.  Among  other  arguments  he 
said :  You  are  not  being  supported  by  your  congregation  as 
you  ought  to  be.  This  also  used  to  be  my  condition ;  but  since 
I  have  gone  in  for  the  'new-measure'  ways,  the  same  people 
who  used  to  pay  one  or  two  dollars,  now  pay  five  or  ten.  You 
see  'new  measurism'  brings  bread  into  the  home.  I  promptly 
told  him  that  I  wanted  no  bread  that  had  to  be  earned  by  vio- 
lating my  inner  convictions ;  rather  than  do  that,  I  would  hang 
my  black  coat  on  a  handy  peg,  and  go  out  into  the  woods  and 
split  fence  rails."* 

A  more  strenuous  method  of  persuasion  was  now  adopted. 
Eight  or  nine  of  the  new-measure  men  invaded  Canton,  secured 
the  use  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  conducted  revival  meet- 
ings, continuing  for  several  weeks.  Sermons  were  preached 
on  themes  intended  to  arouse  the  careless  church  members  and 
the  unconverted ;  such  as,  the  lost  nature  of  man,  hell  and  its 
terrors,  man's  helplessness,  the  necessity  of  conversion,  justifi- 
cation by  faith  only,  heaven  and  its  joys,  etc.  The  purpose  of 
the  meetings  was  not  only  to  lift  up  the  religious  conditions  of 
Canton  but  also  to  alienate  the  Reformed  people  from  their 
pastor,  create  a  division,  or  even  drive  him  from  his  congrega- 
tion. The  speakers  did  not  even  refrain  from  indirect  public 
attack  upon  Rev.  Herbruck  as  he  testifies : 

"Every  imaginable  arrow  was  aimed  at  me.  In  a  treacher- 
ous manner,  the  most  disgraceful  falsehoods  were  circulated 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  81 

about  me;  always  avoiding  however,  the  mentioning  of  my 
name."* 

Possibly  the  cause  of  this  wrathful  conduct  was  to  be 
found  in  the  fact  that  when  the  "new-measure"  men  began  their 
meetings,  Rev.  Herbruck  began  a  series  of  meetings  also : 

"I  began  to  hold  services  each  evening  in  my  church  in 
order  to  keep  my  church  members  away  from  those  meetings. 
I  knew  of  no  Reformed  minister  who  could  be  secured  to 
assist ;  hence,  the  two  Lutheran  ministers  came  to  my  aid,  Rev. 
Fast,  and  Rev.  Lehman.  Rev.  Lehman  from  Columbus 
preached  each  evening  for  an  entire  week."* 

At  the  meetings  conducted  by  the  new-measure  men  great 
stress  was  laid  upon  the  mourner's  bench.  The  penitents  were 
urged  to  come  forward  so  that  prayer  might  be  offered  in  their 
behalf.  When  they  finally  declared  themselves  as  "converted," 
the  congregation  would  join  with  them  in  crying:  "Glory! 
glory!  blessed  be  Jesus!  Hallelujah  !f"  Only  those  who  had 
gone  through  such  a  volcanic  experience  were  declared  as  being 
true  Christians.  "The  anxious-bench  was  made  the  machine 
for  conversion,  and,  as  it  were,  the  gateway  to  heaven."* 

With  the  exaltation  of  the  mourner's  bench  (or  anxious 
bench)  there  followed  the  depreciation  and  elimination  of  the 
Heidelberg  Catechism  and  all  catechetical  instruction. 

"The  Catechism  was  laid  aside,  as  not  being  needed  any- 
more. One  of  the  ministers  who  had  adopted  these  new  meas- 
ures boldly  asserted :  We  are  not  obliged  to  use  the  catechism 
any  more.  If  a  father  has  a  young  horse,  and  rides  him  until 
he  becomes  old  and  stiff;  that's  no  reason  why  the  son  should 
go  on  riding  the  stiff,  old  beast"* 

These  revival  meetings  generally  paved  the  way  for  the 
introduction  of  prayer  meetings.  At  the  beginning  of  the  new- 
measure  movement  these  prayer  meetings  were  conducted 
quietly  and  with  decorum,  very  similar  to  the  meetings  common 
in  our  day.  However,  as  the  movement  spread  and  developed, 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 

f  Dr.  Buettner. 

6 


82  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

disorder  and  noise  became  common.  Several  persons  might 
be  praying  or  testifying  at  the  same  time,  accompanied  "occa- 
sionally with  many  sighs,  groans,  moans,  and  exclamations."f 
The  disorder  assumed  such  alarming  proportions,  that  the 
church  judicatories  were  obliged  to  pass  a  number  of  regula- 
tory resolutions.  The  Second  District,  within  whose  bounds 
the  waves  of  fanaticism  were  running  highest,  resolved  in 
1841,  "While  one  is  praying  the  others  are  to  be  silent,  and 
pray  along  in  mind  and  spirit.  All  noise  and  all  boisterous 
ranting  (Toben)  by  which  the  natural  emotions  are  excited 
(erhitzt)  is  to  be  avoided."  The  Ohio  Synod  in  its  general 
meeting  in  Canton  in  1842,  resolved,  "That  this  Synod  disap- 
proves of  disorderly  conducted  protracted  meetings,  or  several- 
day  meetings,  the  introduction  of  the  mourner's  bench,  the 
loud  praying  of  women  in  mixed  assemblages  for  prayer,  as 
also,  the  loud  praying  of  several  persons  at  the  same  time.  This, 
however,  does  not  refer  to  orderly  protracted  meetings  and 
prayer  meetings." 

As  the  new-measure  movement  reached  its  zenith,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  take  still  more  drastic  action,  which  was 
done  in  1849  in  the  following  words,  "This  Synod  discounte- 
nances and  hopes  that  all  ministers  and  members  of  the  church 
will  discountenance  all  disorder,  noise,  and  confusion  in  pub- 
lic worship ;  such  as,  more  than  one  praying  at  the  same  time, 
shouting  during  public  preaching,  etc.,  all  rant  and  wild-fire; 
as  not  in  our  opinion  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  our 
Church,  the  spirit  of  religion,  or  the  teaching  of  the  Bible.  The 
Synod  exhorts  the  brethren  to  be  careful  in  all  things  to  con- 
duct their  religious  meetings  in  decency  and  in  such  order  as 
accords  with  God's  house,  and  not  to  violate  the  constitution 
and  standards  of  our  church  in  letter  or  in  spirit."  New- 
measurism  must  indeed  have  been  prospering  riotously  to  call 
for  such  treatment. 

The  necessity  of  resolutions  like  these  given,  becomes  the 
clearer  when  we  further  consider  certain  occurrences  that  took 
place  within  the  Canton  charge.  About  1840,  Rev.  Abraham 

t  Dr.  Buettner. 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  83 

Keller  came  to  Osnaburg  and  served  the  Carrollton  and  Hersh 
(or  Hursh)  congregations  in  Carrollton  County,  and  the  St. 
Martin's  and  Uniontown  congregations  in  Stark  County.  At 
the  beginning  of  his  ministry  he  had  been  opposed  to  the  "new- 
measures,"  but  later  developed  into  an  ardent  advocate  of  the 
same.  After  coming  to  Stark  County  he  soon  joined  hands 
with  the  group  of  eight  or  nine  new-measure  men  who  had 
already  conducted  the  Canton  revival,  for  the  purpose  of  hold- 
ing similar  meetings  in  the  other  congregations  of  the  charge'. 
Dividing  themselves  into  two  teams  the  various  congregations 
were  invaded.  In  Osnaburg  the  Reformed  ministers  were 
joined  by  ministers  of  other  denominations.  A  wave  of  reviv- 
al enthusiasm  swept  through  the  community.  Many  went  to 
the  mourner's  bench  and  professed  conversion;  among  these 
were  also  a  goodly  number  of  Reformed  people.  Prayermeet- 
ings  were  held  in  the  homes  of  the  "converts."  In  the  Sunday 
School  some  of  the  "converted"  began  to  kneel  with  the  chil- 
dren and  engage  in  long  prayers  for  their  salvation.  The  cat- 
echism and  catechetical  instruction  were  ridiculed.  Disorder 
and  noisy  demonstrations  crept  in.  This  aroused  the  larger 
and  more  conservative  portion  of  the  congregation  who  were 
loyal  to  Rev.  Herbruck  and  his  ways,  and  they  rose  up  and 
attempted  to  put  a  stop  to  the  raging  of  the  "wild-fire,"  as  they 
called  it.  Then  the  converts  from  various  denominations — 
Presbyterians,  Methodists,  Baptists,  Lutherans  and  Reformed 
— decided  to  build  a  union-church.  In  less  than  two  weeks  a 
log-church  was  ready  (1842)  and  Rev.  Keller  took  charge  of 
the  new  congregation.  This  aroused  violent  quarrels  and  bit- 
ter animosities.  The  new  congregation  loudly  boasted :  "Now 
we  have  the  pure  Gospel.  Before  this  we  were  in  a  state  of 
blindness  and  irreligion  with  our  pastor,  but  now  we  are  en- 
lightened, converted,  regenerated,  sanctified  and  saved.  Our 
former  pastor  was  never  converted  and  is  unfit  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  His  preaching  was  hay,  straw,  and  stubbles.  We  are 
praying  constantly  that  he  may  be  converted  and  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost;  because  otherwise  he  is  a  very  good  and  agree- 
able man." 


84  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

But,  alas,  after  a  few  months,  dissensions  and  quarrels 
broke  out  among  the  "converted,  enlightened,  etc.,"  and  finally 
after  many  bitter  disappointments,  Rev.  Keller  had  to  give  up 
the  Osnaburg  field.  Several  of  his  children  had  died,  his  "con- 
verts" had  largely  returned  to  the  church  they  had  left,  and 
frequently  the  poor  man  was  put  to  hard  straits  for  his  daily 
bread ;  but  Rev.  Herbruck  continued  to  preach  in  Osnaburg 
for  about  thirty  years  more. 

About  the  same  time  that  the  first  team  of  "new-measur- 
ites"  invaded  the  Osnaburg  field,  the  second  team  started  in  to 
hold  revival  meetings  in  one  of  the  country  congregations.  The 
description  of  what  happened  there  will  be  given  in  Rev.  Her- 
bruck's  own  words: 

"Protracted  meetings  were  begun  in  one  of  my  country 
congregations  in  a  barn  which  they  rented.  The  leader  of  the 

new-measure  men,  Rev.  S again  slandered  me  in  every 

possible  way,  but  always  refrained  from  mentioning  my  name. 
These  impudent  slanders  finally  aroused  me  to  an  action,  which 
later  I  greatly  regretted.  In  my  entire  life  I  never  had  a  taste 
for  scrapping.  I  do  not  remember  ever  having  had  a  fight  with 
anyone  even  as  a  boy.  But  when  these  bold  insinuations  con- 
tinued, I  suddenly  lost  my  good  nature.  I  armed  myself  with 
a  heavy  stick,  put  five  dollars  into  my  pocket,  and  marched  to 
the  barn  accompanied  by  a  powerful  man.  My  purpose  was  to 
give  the  fellow  a  thorough  thrashing,  and  then  proceed  to  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  pay  my  fine.  But  the  dear  God, 
thanks  be  unto  Him,  so  directed  the  matter  that  I  could  not 

carry  out  my  project.  When  I  came  to  the  barn  Rev.  S 

was  not  there.  I  told  some  of  the  people  who  were  there  what 
my  intentions  had  been.  From  that  time  on  the  insinuations 
ceased.  So  the  scheme  seems  to  have  been  worth  something 
anyhow  !"* 

These  unlawful  invasions  of  the  charge  of  a  fellow-minis- 
ter aroused  Rev.  Herbruck  to  send  a  protest  to  the  Ohio  Syn- 
od, "begging  the  Synod  urgently  to  put  a  stop  to  these  mis- 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


THREE  PERPLEXING  QUESTIONS  85 

chievous  disturbances.  My  complaint  was  laid  on  the  table, 
and  was  not  even  considered  worthy  of  an  answer."* 

As  the  Synod  thus  had  shown  itself  unwilling  to  protect 
its  German  ministers  who  preferred  to  walk  in  the  conserva- 
tive, old-Reformed  paths,  these  ministers  determined  to  defend 
themselves.  This  defense  reached  its  climax  in  the  formation 
of  an  independent  Synod  in  1846.  This  Synod  became  popu- 
larly known  as  the  "Herbruck  Synod,"  and  its  history  will  be 
given  in  the  next  chapter. 

In  this  place  it  seems  proper  to  give  an  estimate  of  the 
benefits  and  the  injuries  wrought  by  the  new-measure  move- 
ment. 

That  it  worked  out  grave  injuries  in  the  church  cannot  be 
denied.  A  shallow  and  superficial  type  of  church-life  and 
Christian-life  was  fostered  by  the  methods  used  to  gain  mem- 
bers and  converts.  Quarrels,  divisions,  censoriousness,  intem- 
perate speech,  spiritual  conceit  and  pride  were  the  general 
accompaniments  of  a  revival  effort.  The  departure  from  the 
spirit  and  the  usages  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  so  violent 
that  the  Church  was  threatened  with  absorption  into  the  strong- 
er denominations  whose  methods  were  being  so  enthusiasti- 
cally adopted.  The  repudiation  of  the  catechism  and  all  relig- 
ious instruction  of  the  youth  meant  the  loss  of  the  finest  aid  to 
piety  that  the  church  possessed.  Some  parts  of  the  Ohio  Syn- 
od have  never  recovered  from  the  non-Reformed  elements 
which  were  then  introduced  into  its  life.  To  this  day  the  cate- 
chism and  religious  instruction  are  tabood  by  certain  of  its 
ministers ;  others  have  limited  the  period  of  instruction  to  a 
few  weeks  with  scarcely  an  effort  to  enrich  the  mind  with  any 
of  the  wonderful  answers  of  our  Catechism;  and  only  a  few 
of  its  ministers  give  religious  instruction  the  prominence  it 
occupies  in  the  German  Synods. 

But  on  the  other  hand  it  must  also  be  acknowledged  that 
the  movement  served  to  arouse  the  church  spiritually  as  it  had 
never  been  aroused  before.  Many  prayer-meetings  and  devo- 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


86  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

tional  meetings  during  the  week  were  started  where  none  had 
ever  existed ;  Sunday-schools  were  transformed  into  opportun- 
ities for  teaching  religious  truths  instead  of  the  German  lan- 
guage ;  family-worship  was  begun  in  numberless  homes  where 
before  it  had  been  looked  upon  as  "a  species  of  saintly  affec- 
tation." The  curse  of  intemperance  and  impurity  was  dimin- 
ished, and  even  successfully  suppressed  in  many  localities. 
Especially  was  the  entire  church  aroused  to  the  danger  of  mere 
formalism  and  lifeless  orthodoxy  that  was  content  with  being 
confirmed  and  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  occasionally, 
and  leading  a  "reasonably  decent"  life,  without  having  any 
notion  of  a  real  heart  experience.  The  emphasis  which  the 
new-measure  movement  placed  upon  a  personal,  religious  ex- 
perience and  heart  assurance  had  a  quickening,  spiritual  effect 
upon  the  foes  as  well  as  friends  of  the  movement.  Interest  in 
missions  was  also  aroused,  more  young  men  for  the  ministry 
offered  themselves,  the  spirit  of  benevolence  increased,  and 
thousands  of  new  members  were  won.  In  the  year  1843  alone, 
the  total  increase  in  Ohio  as  a  result  of  this  movement  was 
1536  souls. 

Though  we  may  still  deplore  the  extravagance  and  fanat- 
icism into  which  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  movement  fell ; 
and  though  we  may  regret  the  turmoil  and  violent  scenes  enact- 
ed within  the  bounds  of  the  Canton  charge ;  those  who  dispas- 
sionately judge  the  matter  will  probably  be  willing  to  concede 
that  it  required  something  "powerfully  strong"  to  arouse  the 
people  from  their  religious  self -contentment. 


REV.  PETER  HERBRUCK 
At  age  forty -five 


CHAPTER  XII 
THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD 

1C*  ROM  1846-1852  about  a  score  of  German  ministers  main- 
*  tained  an  independent  Synod.  This  Synod  called  itself 
officially  "The  German  Synod  of  the  High  German  Reformed 
Church  of  Ohio  and  Adjacent  States."  The  popular  name  by 
which  it  was  known  among  the  people,  however,  was  "The  Her- 
bruck  Synod" ;  so  called  after  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  who  was 
the  main  leader  and  spirit  in  effecting  and  maintaining  the 
organization.  Since  the  secession  from  the  Ohio  Synod  took 
place  in  the  Osnaburg  church,  and  all  congregations  of  the  Can- 
ton charge  joined  the  new  Synod  with  their  pastor,  the  "Her- 
bruck Synod"  thus  becomes  of  peculiar  interest  to  us. 

The  causes  which  led  to  the  organization  of  this  indepen- 
dent Synod  have  already  been  discussed  in  the  last  chapter. 
The  friction  created  by  the  transition  from  the  German  to  the 
English  became  more  and  more  acute  as  time  passed.  Finally 
in  1844  the  Ohio  Synod  decided  that  English  congregations 
might  be  organized  within  the  bounds  of  German  congrega- 
tions even  when  these  were  opposed.  This  decision  of  Synod 
threw  the  German  ministers  into  a  very  belligerent  frame  of 
mind.  The  opposition  of  the  German  ministers  in  eastern  Ohio 
was  increased  by  the  fact  that  the  English  pastors  were  nearly 
all  new-measure  men ;  and  this  sanction  of  the  Synod  to  organ- 
ize English  congregations  meant  in  numerous  cases  not  only 
the  division  of  congregations  and  the  erection  of  rival  churches, 
but  also  the  arousing  of  great  bitterness  between  former  fel- 
low-ministers and  fellow-members.  Just  how  much  influence 
the  temperance  agitation  had  in  bringing  about  the  secession  it 
is  difficult  to  say,  but  doubtlessly  it  must  be  rated  as  a  strong 
contributory  cause. 

Rev.  Herbruck  who  had  become  the  generally  recognized 
leader  of  the  old-Reformed,  anti-new-measure  men  had  ad- 

87 


88  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

dressed  a  protest  to  the  Synod  in  1844,  asking  for  suitable  leg- 
islation against  the  arrogant  fanaticism  of  the  new-measure 
agitators  from  which  he  had  suffered.  The  Synod  not  only 
ignored  the  request,  but  also  gave  permission  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  rival  English  congregations  in  German  fields.  This 
was  too  much.  The  German  ministers  began  to  discuss  means 
of  redress  privately,  but  it  was  not  until  the  meeting  of  Colum- 
biana  Classis  at  Osnaburg  in  1846  (June  3)  that  the  complete 
break  came. 

The  animosities  broke  out  as  soon  as  the  opening  sermon 
had  been  delivered,  as  described  by  Rev.  Herbruck : 

"Father  Sonnendecker  was  president  of  the  Classis.  Ac- 
cording to  the  constitution  he  was  to  preach  the  opening  ser- 
mon. He  excused  himself  by  explaining  that  he  was  sick,  and 
not  prepared  to  preach  a  set  sermon,  and  contented  himself 
with  delivering  a  brief  but  very  appropriate  address  to  the 
Classis.  Hardly  had  the  aged  father  sat  down,  when  one  of 
the  new-measure  men  jumped  up,  and  said,  'That  was  no  open- 
ing sermon,  etc.,  etc.'  The  aged  father  was  insulted  in  such 
a  way  that  the  tears  stood  in  his  eyes.  The  next  step  was,  that 
all  of  them  began  speaking  English,  though  every  one  could 
speak  German.  This  was  done  to  prevent  those  of  us  who 
could  not  speak  English  from  taking  part  in  the  debate.  I 
begged  the  gentlemen  to  use  the  German,  saying  that  the  con- 
gregation was  German,  and  the  members  of  the  Classis  were 
all  German.  The  answer  given  me  was :  'We  will  speak  as  we 
wish,  for  this  does  not  concern  anyone  else.'  "* 

Rev.  J.  W.  Hamm  was  elected  president.  One  of  the  Ger- 
man men  immediately  made  the  motion,  "That  we  declare  our- 
selves independent  of  the  General  Synod  of  Ohio."f  The 
motion  was  "strongly  opposed  by  the  valiant  brethren  of  the 
cross,  and  our  Reformed  Zion."f 

When  the  time  for  the  noon  recess  arrived  the  motion  was 
still  under  discussion.  During  the  noon  hour  the  German 

*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 

t  Minutes  of  Columbiana  Classis.     The  secretary   was    an    ardent 
new-measure  man. 


THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD  89 

brethren  got  together  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Herbruck, 
because,  "I  and  some  of  the  other  brethren  saw  that  things  could 
not  continue  in  this  fashion  any  longer.  We  met  in  a  private 
house  and  discussed  the  matter.  The  decision  was  to  separate, 
and  organize  a  new  Synod  which  would  stand  firmly  upon  the 
old  foundations  and  customs  of  the  Reformed  Church.  A  can- 
vas of  the  members  of  Classis  disclosed  the  fact  that  our  party 
had  a  majority  of  one.  At  the  opening  of  the  afternoon  ses- 
sion one  of  our  number  made  the  motion  that  we  separate 
from  the  old  Ohio  Synod,  and  form  a  new  synod  under  the 
name  of  "The  German  Synod  of  the  High  German  Reformed 
Church  of  Ohio  and  Adjacent  States."* 

The  resolution  as  formulated  by  them  read,  "Whereas,  the 
so-called  new-measure  men  have  made  powerful  attacks  upon 
our  congregations,  and  have  destroyed  the  peace  and  quiet  in 
many  places ;  Therefore,  resolved,  that  we  declare  ourselves 
independent  of  the  General  Synod  until  said  Synod  adopt 
measures  to  arrest  such  innovations/'f 

A  vigorous  discussion  followed.  When  the  motion  was 
put,  it  carried  by  a  majority  of  one,  and  "the  following  brethren 
seceded:  Revs.  P.  Herbruck,  H.  Sonnendecker,  J.  W.  Hamm, 
F.  Ruhl,  C.  Zwisler  and  George  Weber."f 

As  soon  as  the  result  had  been  announced,  "Things  began 

to  happen.     The  leader  of  the  new-measure  men,  Rev.  S , 

was  present  though  he  was  not  a  member  of  the  Columbiana 
Classis.  He  arose  and  said  to  the  new-measure  men:  You 
are  now  the  Columbiana  Classis ;  those  who  have  thus  torn 
themselves  away  have  no  business  here  any  more.  You  must 
now  organize  and  go  on  with  your  business.  The  brother 
who  had  been  elected  as  president  at  the  morning  session  was 
in  sympathy  with  us  but  was  unwilling  to  be  at  odds  with  the 
other  faction.  So  he  left  the  president's  chair  and  withdrew. 
The  father  of  the  leader  of  the  new-measurites  was  on  our  side, 
he  at  once  arose,  sat  down  in  the  president's  place  and  declared, 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 

t  Minutes  of  Columbiana  Classis. 


90  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

Now  I  am  president,  and  not  one  of  you  can  take  this  place 
from  me.  The  leader  of  the  new-measurites  nevertheless 
insisted  that  officers  should  be  elected  and  business  should  pro- 
ceed. A  tumult  arose.  During  the  excitement  an  elder  of  the 
church  went  to  the  leader  of  the  new-measurites,  grabbed  him 
by  the  collar  and  shoved  him  out  of  the  church.  Like  a  swarm 
of  bees  his  adherents  followed  him,  and  the  men  of  the  old 
school  were  alone.  Then  we  adjourned  to  meet  on  October  3, 
of  the  same  year  in  New  Lisbon,  Columbiana  County,  when  the 
new  Synod  was  to  be  organized.*" 

The  new-measure  men  went  at  once  to  the  union-church 
which  had  been  built  four  years  before  under  Rev.  A.  Keller 
and  reorganized  by  electing  Rev.  Keller  as  president.  The 
remnant  of  Columbiana  Classis  contained  only  four  ministers 
(A.  Keller,  A.  Stump,  F.  Stump,  N.  Pfaltzgraf).  Aroused  by 
the  exciting  scenes  through  which  they  had  just  passed,  they 
got  together  and  solemnly  composed  and  adopted  a  report  in 
which  the  following  remarkable  words  occur.  "It  might  be 
thought  by  some  that  the  secession  of  some  brethren  is  an  un- 
happy event  for  the  Classis,  but  we  cannot  but  hail  it  as  a 
gracious  epoch  in  our  history  by  which  we  have  at  once  been 
rid  of  men  who  oppose  the  spirit  of  piety  and  every  sacred 
institution  of  our  holy  religion.  We  cannot  regard  it  as  a 
blessing  to  any  Church  to  have  in  their  midst  men  who  oppose 
prayermeetings,  protracted  meetings,  revivals  of  religion,  etc., 
and  we  bless  God  that  we  are  rid  of  such  material.  Imploring 
God's  blessing  upon  us  in  the  future,  we  can  trust  in  him  for 
blessed  results."f 

When  the  exciting  day  at  last  drew  to  its  close  and  the 
ministers  found  their  way  to  their  places  of  entertainment  a 
new  surprise  awaited  some  of  them.  The  news  of  the  day's 
happenings  had  been  carried  throughout  the  congregation. 
"A  great  excitement  arose  among  the  members  of  the 
church.  The  members  in  favor  of  the  new-measures,  who  had 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 

t  Minutes  of  Columbiana  Classis. 


THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD  91 

a  minister  of  the  old  school  as  guest  at  once  told  him  to  get 
out.  The  members  in  favor  of  the  old  school  ways  did  the 
same  to  their  new-measure  guests."* 

According  to  the  resolution  adopted  at  Osnaburg,  the 
seceding  ministers  met  in  New  Lisbon  on  October  3.  Although 
only  six  ministers  had  voted  at  Osnaburg  to  leave  the  Ohio 
Synod,  there  were  ten  present  at  the  organization  and  eight 
more  requested  to  be  received  as  members  of  the  new  Synod. 
Most  of  them  were  from  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania.  To  us  the 
most  important  action  of  the  meeting  was  the  statement  of  the 
reasons  for  the  secession.  This  document  was  written  by 
Rev.  Herbruck,  who  was  chairman  of  the  committee  which 
had  this  matter  in  charge.  This  statement  was  addressed 
to  the  pastors  and  members  of  the  entire  Reformed  Church, 
and  expresses  the  keen  regret  of  the  new  organization  that 
separation  should  have  been  made  imperative  by  the  excesses 
of  the  new-measure  men,  and  "the  evil  treatment  which  we 
have  received  from  them."  The  following  reasons  for  the 
secession  are  then  set  forth:  "Departure  from  the  ancient 
usages,  doctrines,  and  symbols  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and 
the  introduction  of  the  mourner's  bench  and  its  accompani- 
ments. The  invasion  of  our  congregations  by  the  new-meas- 
ure men,  whereby  peace  has  been  destroyed,  and  faction  and 
hate  engendered.  The  ways  and  means  employed  by  the  new- 
measure  men  to  establish  a  spiritual  hierarchy  in  the  church."$ 

The  new  Synod  also  declared  its  firm  adherence  to  the 
Bible,  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  all  the  doctrines,  usages  and 
symbols  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  adopted  the  old  consti- 
tution of  the  Ohio  Synod.  It  furthermore  declared  that,  "We 
are  prepared  at  any  moment  to  unite  with  the  Ohio  Synod  again 
so  soon  as  the  causes  of  our  complaints  have  been  removed, 
the  evils  done  away  with,  and  the  transgressors  punished." 

During  the  brief  history  of  the  "Herbruck  Synod,"  twen- 
ty-five ministers  were  on  its  roll,  but  the  greatest  number  at 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 

t  Minutes  of  the  "Herbruck  Synod"  for  1846. 


92  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

any  one  time  was  only  eighteen.  Already  at  the  first  session 
the  cause  of  foreign  missions  was  unanimously  recommended 
to  the  congregations,  and  in  home  missionary  work  consider- 
able activity  was  shown.  "After  several  years  the  Synod  also 
decided  to  publish  a  church-paper  entitled,  The  Evangelist. 
A  goodly  number  of  subscriptions  had  already  been  gathered,"* 
and  one  number  of  the  paper  was  published  ;  but  the  first  num- 
ber also  was  the  last.  The  paper  was  discontinued  because  the 
Synod  had  reached  the  decision  to  unite  again  with  the  Ohio 
Synod. 

The  sentiment  in  the  Columbiana  Classis  and  the  Ohio 
Synod  had  been  changing  very  rapidly.  The  fanaticism  of  the 
new-measurites  had  produced  a  reaction.  In  the  old  Colum- 
biana Classis  grave  conditions  had  developed.  Several  new 
ministers  had  been  ordained  after  very  insufficient  preparation. 
A  number  of  these  drifted  into  theological  vagaries.  Views 
absolutely  at  variance  with  the  teachings  of  the  Reformed 
church  were  proclaimed.  The  sessions  of  the  Classis  seethed 
with  theological  debates.  These  experiences  had  a  very  sober- 
ing effect  upon  the  others.  The  Classis  began  to  legislate 
against,  "all  disorder  and  confusion"  at  a  public  service;  as 
well  as,  "everything  that  destroys  the  solemnity  of  worship  and 
the  spirit  of  devotion."  The  Catechism  and  catechetical  in- 
struction were  emphasized  again,  and  were  introduced  once 
more  by  some  of  those  who  had  discarded  it;  and  "the  dis- 
orders and  errors  of  fanaticism"  were  condemned. 

At  one  time  three  of  the  ministers  were  suspended  for 
heresy  and  refusal  to  obey  the  authority  of  the  Church ;  one 
left  the  Reformed  Church,  several  died,  and  finally  only  three 
ministers  were  left  in  the  Classis. 

The  Ohio  Synod  also  had  changed  from  its  position  of 
1844.  The  permission  to  organize  English  congregations  with- 
in the  bounds  of  existing  German  congregations  was  revoked ; 
the  complacent  ignoring  of  the  complaints  of  the  German  min- 
isters against  new-measure  excesses  gave  place  to  stern  reso- 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD  93 

lutions  aiming  to  restore  order  and  comity.  Because  the  Ohio 
Synod  thus  acknowledged  its  errors  and  reversed  its  previous 
actions,  and  also  frequently  urged  the  "Herbruck  Synod"  men 
to  come  back,  a  number  of  the  ministers  returned  to  the  old 
Synod.  Furthermore  "a  number  of  well  educated  young  men 
from  the  East"*  had  been  received,  and  "as  the  temperament 
of  the  Synod  was  changing,  and  the  hindrances  seemed  re- 
moved"* the  eighteen  left  were  ready  to  return  to  the  old 
Synod. 

The  following  plan  of  reunion  was  agreed  upon  in  1851. 
The  Ohio  Synod  was  to  create  a  Northern  German  Classis  and 
a  Southern  German  Classis,  the  line  running  through  Colum- 
bus east  and  west.  All  the  ministers  preaching  in  German 
were  to  have  the  privilege  of  uniting  with  the  one  or  the  other 
of  these  Classes.  The  "Herbruck  Synod"  under  this  plan  was 
to  become  the  nucleus  of  the  new  Northern  German  Classis. 
In  accordance  with  this  agreement  the  Northern  German  Clas- 
sis met  in  Akron,  Ohio,  June  23,  1852  and  organized. 

It  would  seem  that  now  there  ought  to  have  been  peace, 
but  not  so.  The  old  friction  with  Columbiana  Classis  which 
now  again  numbered  five  ministers  continued.  Two  of  their 
ministers  invaded  the  fields  of  their  neighbors  in  the  Northern 
German  Classis.  The  old  quarrels  threatened  to  break  out 
again.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Northern  German  Classis, 
held  in  1853,  in  Canton,  at  which  Rev.  Herbruck  was  again 
the  dominant  figure,  the  Classis  decided  to  send  an  ultimatum 
to  Synod  demanding  that  Columbiana  Classis  should  be  dis- 
solved, or  some  other  plan  of  removing  the  grievances  should  be 
immediately  found,  or  else  the  Northern  German  Classis  would 
again  declare  itself  "free  and  independent,"  although  "nothing 
but  an  unavoidable  necessity  would  drive  us  to  such  a  step." 
Rev.  Herbruck  helped  to  draft  this  ultimatum.  One  of  the 
main  reasons  for  this  drastic  action  seems  to  have  been  the 
determination  to  permit  only  the  use  of  the  German  language 
in  the  Classis  and  the  congregations  belonging  to  it.  The  dif- 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


94  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ficulty  was  finally  adjusted  by  the  Ohio  Synod  in  1854  by  auth- 
orizing both  the  Northern  German  Classis  and  the  Columbiana 
Classis  to  dissolve,  and  then,  after  arranging  the  fragments 
into  two  parts  to  suit  themselves,  to  organize  two  new  Classes. 
This  plan  proved  satisfactory  to  both  Classes ;  hence  they  dis- 
solved, and  the  German  ministers  organized  the  St.  John's 
Classis*  at  Massillon,  on  June  21,  1854.  Since  that  time  the 
Canton  congregation  has  remained  a  part  of  this  Classis.  The 
first  regular  meeting  of  the  Classis  was  held  in  the  Canton 
church  in  October  following  the  organization. 

It  seemed  both  necessary  and  appropriate  that  the  story 
of  these  difficulties  with  the  Ohio  Synod  should  be  presented 
somewhat  at  length  because  Rev.  Herbruck  was  the  main  fig- 
ure in  the  movement  for  an  independent  Synod,  and  was  heart- 
ily supported  in  every  step  that  was  taken  by  his  congregations. 
That  he  had  abundant  justification  in  that  period  of  religious 
fanaticism  and  synodical  hesitancy  to  deal  vigorously  with  the 
situation,  has  been  made  plain  by  the  facts  presented.  It  is 
clear  that  the  secession  of  so  large  a  number  of  ministers  made 
a  deep  impression  upon  Synod,  and  immediately  brought  about 
a  reaction  in  favor  of  the  more  conservative  ways  and  customs 
of  the  fathers.  While  we  may  at  the  present  time  deplore  that 
the  secession  occurred,  the  German  ministers  were  confronted 
by  what  they  considered  a  dread  disease,  and  the  surgeon's 
knife  promised  the  speediest  cure. 

During  this  period  the  following  congregations  belonged 
to  the  Canton  charge :  Canton,  Osnaburg,  Paris,  St.  Martin's, 
St.  Peter's  and  Zions,  whose  locations  have  already  been  given. 
St.  John's  in  Massillon,  which  had  been  reorganized  by  Dr. 
Buettner,  was  also  supplied  by  Rev.  Herbruck  during  the  inter- 
vals when  they  had  no  regular  pastor. 

The  number  of  communicants  in  all  the  congregations  var- 


*  Other  names  that  were  also  considered  were  Canton  Classis,  or 
Heidelberg,  North  Ohio  and  Salems.  After  the  strenuous  scenes 
through  which  the  ministers  of  the  new  Classis  had  passd  the  name  St. 
John's  seemed  most  appropriate.  The  name  has  proved  itself  a  pro- 
phecy. 


THE  HERBRUCK  SYNOD  95 

led  between  450  and  742.  The  baptisms  averaged  120  each 
year  and  the  confirmations  78. 

It  was  a  requirement  of  the  Independent  Synod  that  each 
congregation  should  send  an  annual  report  giving  the  opinion 
of  the  membership  as  to  the  work  of  the  pastor  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  congregation.  Sometimes  each  consistory  sent  a 
separate  report;  more  generally  a  joint  report  was  signed  by 
the  several  consistories.  A  number  of  these  reports  have  been 
preserved.  Two  of  these  will  be  given  as  fair  samples  of  all 
of  them.  The  spelling,  punctuation  and  capitalization  of  the 
originals  are  retained : 

"We  the  undersigned  Members  of  the Church,  do  hereby 

sartify  that  we  are  dewly  Satisfied  with  Mr  Rev  P  Herbruck  as  a 
teacher  of  the  Gospel  in  our  midst  and  wish  him  to  remain  teacher  in 
our  Church." 

The  second  testimonial  will  be  left  in  the  German  as  writ- 
ten: 

"Wihr  die  unter  schriebenen  bezeigen  hier  mit  das  die  gliter  vohn 
der gemeinte  felig  zufrieden  sein  mit  Peter  herbruck  Pretiger." 


CHAPTER  XIII 
SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS 

AND 

BUILDING  THE  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH 

DURING  the  years  from  1830-1850,  Canton  was  almost 
completely  at  a  standstill.  The  building  of  the  Ohio 
Canal  through  Massillon  in  1830  was  a  staggering  blow  to  the 
town.  Massillon  grew  rapidly,  and  became  the  center  of  trade 
and  shipping  for  two  score  miles  around.  Grain,  furs,  and 
various  products  in  large  quantities  were  shipped  out.  The 
number  of  settlers  in  the  county  increased. 

"Fast  fell  the  forests, 
Cabins  by  night-time  grew ; 
Like  bees  to  honey, 
Each  settler  others  drew." 

But  though  farming  boomed  and  prospered,  Massillon 
alone  received  the  benefit,  and  Canton  lagged  and  languished. 
In  twenty  years,  an  addition  of  scant  five  hundred  inhabitants 
could  be  recorded.  Then  in  1851,  the  Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne 
and  Chicago  Railroad  was  built  from  Pittsburgh  as  far  as  Can- 
ton. Immediately  the  town  felt  the  impetus  of  new  life.  In- 
dustries were  established,  the  population  increased,  and  Canton 
rapidly  forged  ahead. 

The  growth  of  the  town  was  a  great  benefit  to  the  Re- 
formed church.  As  a  large  number  of  the  new  inhabitants 
were  Germans  and  Swiss,  the  congregation  increased  consid- 
erably in  membership.  The  union  church-building  which  had 
served  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  congregations  for  thirty 
years  became  too  small  for  the  audiences,  and  furthermore  was 
in  need  of  extensive  repairs. 

The  relations  between  the  congregations  had  also  gradual- 
ly become  rather  strained.  During  the  first  forty  years  of  their 


THE  THIRD  CHURCH  BUILDING 
Dedicated  1862 


SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS  97 

history  the  two  congregations  had  worked  together  with  scarce- 
ly a  consciousness  of  any  denominational  distinctions.  The 
children  of  both  congregations  were  instructed  alternatively  by 
the  pastors  of  either  denomination ;  and  the  members  of  each 
congregation  had  the  right  to  vote  for  the  officers  of  the  other 
congregation.  Until  1829  the  two  congregations  also  kept 
their  church  records  in  the  same  book. 

During  these  years  numerous  efforts  were  made  to  effect 
an  organic  union  between  the  two  denominations.  The  efforts 
proved  futile  and  came  to  a  definite  end  about  1840,  be- 
cause the  two  bodies  began  to  clearly  apprehend  their  denomi- 
national distinctions.  The  gulf  was  widened  still  more  by  the 
new-measure  movement  in  the  Reformed  Church.  Theologi- 
cal attacks  of  great  bitterness  were  made,  and  accusations  of 
heretical  teachings  were  hurled  by  Lutheran  divines  against  the 
Reformed  ministers.  Gross  misrepresentations  of  the  doctrines 
of  the  Reformed  Church  were  also  widely  circulated.  These 
occurrences  in  the  denominations  at  large  still  further  estranged 
the  local  congregations  in  Canton. 

In  1855  the  Lutheran  congregation  made  the  first  move  to 
secure  a  separation  by  appointing  a  committee  to  confer  with 
the  consistory  of  the  Reformed  Church  to  ascertain  "whether 
one  of  the  congregations  might  not  be  willing  to  purchase  the 
rights  of  the  other  in  the  property ;  and  under  what  conditions 
this  might  be  accomplished." 

As  a  result  of  this  conference  it  was  agreed  to  submit  to 
each  congregation  the  following  propositions  to  be  voted  on : 

1.  Whether  the  church-building  should  be    repaired    or    improved 

jointly. 

2.  Whether  one  congregation  should  purchase  all  the  rights  of  the 

other. 

3.  Whether  the  church  should  be  pulled  down  and  the  materials  be 

divided  equitably  between  the  two  congregations. 

The  two  congregational  meetings  disclosed  such  a  variety 
of  opinions  that  no  common  ground  could  be  found.  Some 
wanted  to  simply  repair  the  old  building,  others  wanted  to 
repair  and  enlarge  the  building,  still  others  wanted  to  erect  a 

7 


98  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

new  building  jointly  on  the  same  site  as  the  old,  again  others 
wanted  a  new  building  on  a  different  site,  and  a  few  wanted  to 
separate  from  each  other  entirely.  As  no  agreement  seemed 
possible  the  matter  was  dropped  for  several  years. 

During  these  years  the  Reformed  congregation  continued 
to  grow  in  membership,  and  "as  our  congregation  increased  in 
membership,  the  desire  became  strong  to  possess  our  own  build- 
ing so  that  services  might  be  held  each  Sunday ;  for  on  account 
of  owning  the  building  with  the  Lutherans  we  could  hold  serv- 
ices only  every  other  Sunday."* 

Several  congregational  meetings  were  called  "to  discuss 
the  matter,  but  as  soon  as  the  raising  of  seven  or  eight  thou- 
sand dollars  was  mentioned,  the  people  got  scared  and  dispersed 
without  definite  action."* 

The  need  became  so  imperative  that  finally  in  1858,  Rev. 
Herbruck  determined  on  heroic  action : 

"I  drew  up  a  subscription  list  and  wrote  my  own  name  at 
the  top  for  $150,  which  was  equal  to  a  year's  salary  from  the 
congregation.  Then  I  went  from  farm  to  farm  and  in  the 
town  from  house  to  house  and  in  three  or  four  weeks  $4000 
had  been  subscribed.  Then  I  called  the  congregation  together 
again,  presented  the  subscription  list,  and  tried  to  show  the 
people  that  this  amount  would  suffice  to  get  a  new  church  under 
roof ;  and  when  we  were  that  far  the  good  Lord  would  supply 
ways  and  means  to  finish  the  building.  Then  the  people  took 
new  courage."* 

After  the  congregation  had  decided  to  build  a  new  church, 
the  next  step  was  to  select  a  suitable  site.  The  people  were 
unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  the  church  ought  to  be  built 
on  the  western  half  of  the  large  plot  owned  by  the  two  congre- 
gations, and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the 
Lutheran  congregation  to  ascertain  whether  they  would  agree 
to  this,  or  whether  they  preferred  to  buy  the  Reformed  share 
of  the  property  or  would  sell  theirs.  The  committee  was 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS  99 

promptly  informed  that  the  Lutheran  congregation  would  not 
accept  any  of  the  propositions. 

"A  second  proposition  was  then  made  the  Lutheran  con- 
gregation; namely,  whether  they  would  give  us  the  right  to 
build,  provided  we  presented  them  with  our  share  of  the  joint 
property,  including  the  church  building,  with  all  its  contents 
such  as  bell,  stove,  etc.  This  proposition,  also,  was  rejected."* 

The  cause  of  this  uncompromising  attitude  was  the  pastor, 
Rev.  Nunemacher,  who  had  been  in  Canton  for  only  a  year, 
and  persuaded  the  people  that  a  fine,  new  church  erected  by  the 
Reformed  people  so  near  the  old  building  would  result  in  a 
large  loss  of  members  to  the  Lutherans,  since,  "No  one  would 
then  go  to  the  old  church  any  more." 

"Another  congregational  meeting  was  then  held  to  deter- 
mine the  next  step.  At  this  meeting  a  lawyer,  whose  wife  was 
a  member  of  our  church,  was  present,  and  he  persuaded  us  to 
go  ahead  with  our  building  project,  by  saying  that  the  Lutheran 
congregation  could  not  prevent  us  from  building  and  also  that 
they  could  never  claim  a  share  in  the  new  building.  Owing  to 
the  assurances  of  this  lawyer  we  decided  to  begin  building."* 

A  building  committee  was  then  appointed  to  take  charge  of 
the  matter.  Conrad  Schweitzer  was  made  treasurer  of  the  build- 
ing-fund, and  Ludwig  Ohliger,  Peter  Preyer,  Heinrich  Berg- 
man, Joseph  Herschy,  Johannes  Glass,  and  Christian  Vogelge- 
sang  were  the  other  members  of  the  committee.  The  committee 
at  once  began  the  work  of  formulating  plans  for  the  new  build- 
ing and  securing  more  subscriptions.  Most  of  the  work  of  secur- 
ing the  necessary  funds  devolved  upon  the  pastor.  Members  of 
other  denominations  also  extended  a  helping  hand.  One  of 
these  "gave  $100,  another  $50,  and  still  another  $25.  Even 
quite  a  number  of  Catholics  offered  their  help."*  All  of  the 
heavy  lumber  necessary  for  the  entire  building  was  donated  by 
Mr.  Meyer,  who  at  that  time  owned  extensive  tracts  of  timber- 
land  about  Meyer's  Lake.  The  circumstances  connected  with 
the  donation  were  so  interesting  that  the  older  members  of  our 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


100  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

congregation  still  delight  in  telling  them.  It  must  therefore  be 
a  matter  of  peculiar  gratification  to  the  present  generation  that 
the  story  has  been  preserved  as  written  down  by  Rev.  Her- 
bruck  himself : 

"One  day  as  I  was  going  up  the  street  I  met  a  man  who 
was  a  Catholic.  He  possessed  a  large  tract  of  timber  near  the 
town.  He  said  to  me,  'I  hear  that  you  are  going  to  build  a 
new  church.'  That  is  our  intention,  Mr.  Meyer,  was  my  an- 
swer. 'Well,'  said  he,  'I  will  make  you  a  nice  offer.'  So  I 
inquired  what  sort  of  an  offer  he  had  to  make.  Then  he  an- 
swered, 'If  you  will  come  out  to  my  home,  I  will  show  you  a 
tree,  and  if  you  will  chop  down  that  tree  yourself,  I  will  not  only 
give  you  that  tree  but  as  many  more  as  you  will  need  for  beams, 
posts,  rafters,  etc.,  for  the  entire  church.'  I  immediately  pulled 
out  my  little  subscription  book  and  said :  Mr.  Meyer,  I  accept 
your  offer  with  gratitude;  please,  put  it  down  into  my  little 
book  with  your  name.  Then  I  also  will  sign  my  name  agreeing 
to  chop  down  the  tree  which  you  will  show  me.  So  we  made 
the  contract  together. 

"Several  days  after  I  went  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Meyer  with 
three  members  of  the  building  committee.  He  showed  me  a 
tree  about  three  feet  in  diameter.  An  ax  was  offered  me  which 
had  a  new  handle.  This  handle  was  rather  rough.  I  began 
chopping  away.  After  about  three  hours,  the  tree  fell;  but 
the  blood  was  running  from  my  hands.  But  everyone  who 
saw  that  stump  had  to  laugh  for  it  certainly  was  frightfully 
mangled.  Not  being  used  to  handling  an  ax,  I  had  struck  a 
new  place  with  every  lick.  The  stump  was,  as  the  Pennsylva- 
nia German  would  say,  'schrecklich  verkrutzt'  (frightfully 
scratched  up)."* 

This  tree  was  carefully  laid  aside  and  was  later  given  the 
honor  of  being  used  as  the  center  timber  in  the  steeple.  In  the 
course  of  time  it  has  become  so  hard  that  it  is  practically  impos- 
sible to  drive  a  nail  into  it.  It  is  quite  certain,  therefore,  that 
the  old  tree  would  again  draw  first  blood  from  any  minister 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS  101 

who  would  be  unfortunate  enough  to  be  obliged  to  chop  it  in 
two. 

The  reason  why  the  Catholics  of  Canton  were  so  willing 
to  assist  in  the  erection  of  a  Protestant  church  was  found  in 
the  personal  friendship  between  Rev.  Herbruck  and  Rev.  John 
Baptist  Uhlman,  the  priest  in  charge  of  the  St.  Peter's  Catho- 
lic Church.  He  also  gave  valuable  suggestions  concerning  the 
arrangement  and  architecture  of  the  contemplated  building. 
This  friendship  between  the  two  ministers  continued  until  Rev. 
Uhlman  returned  to  Germany.  As  a  farewell  gift  he  presented 
Rev.  Herbruck  with  a  complete  set  of  the  sermons  of  the  noted 
German  Protestant  preacher,  Franz  Volkmar  Reinhard. 

The  advertisement  given  the  new  church  project  by  the 
chopping  down  of  the  first  tree  by  the  pastor  helped  very  sub- 
stantially in  securing  the  promise  of  further  building-material 
and  subscriptions,  so  that  the  successful  completion  of  the 
church  was  assured.  When  this  fact  was  perceived  by  the 
Lutherans,  they  decided  to  hinder  the  building  by  every  means 
available,  and  a  long-drawn-out  legal  contest  ensued  that 
proved  very  expensive  to  both  sides,  created  much  bitterness 
of  feeling,  and  finally  resulted  in  a  compromise  whose  terms 
were  the  same  as  those  previously  offered  by  the  Reformed 
people. 

This  part  of  the  history  we  will  take  verbatim  from  the 
reminiscences  of  Rev.  Herbruck : 

"The  building  material  was  finally  brought  to  the  place 
where  we  were  going  to  build.  The  foundation  was  almost 
completed  when  the  Lutherans  brought  suit  against  us.  The 
sheriff  came  with  an  injunction,  and  we  had  to  quit  working. 
For  almost  two  years  the  matter  was  before  the  court.  The 
trial  was  postponed  from  time  to  time  intentionally  in  order 
that  our  material  and  foundation  might  be  ruined.  In  fact  it 
was  necessary  later  on  to  tear  out  the  entire  foundation. 

"Then  our  opponents  made  every  effort  to  stir  up  the  peo- 
ple who  had  subscribed  for  the  building,  so  that  they  would 
refuse  to  pay  their  subscriptions.  They  boasted  that  the  church 
would  never  be  built.  In  the  meanwhile  the  war  between  the 


102  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

North  and  the  South  broke  out  and  many  of  the  members  lost 
their  courage.  But  I  felt  that  I  could  not  give  up  the  project 
so  easily.  From  the  judge  I  learned  that  there  was  no  law  in 
the  state  of  Ohio  according  to  which  joint  church-property 
could  be  divided.  When  I  learned  this,  I  started  for  Colum- 
bus to  see  whether  the  legislature  would  not  soon  pass  such  a 
law.  Another  man  from  our  county  who  was  intimately 
acquainted  with  several  members  of  the  legislature  accompan- 
ied me.  I  also  was  well  acquainted  with  two  members  of  the 
legislature.  The  one  was  and  remains  to  this  day  an  active 
member  of  the  Reformed  church  and  the  other  had  Reformed 
parents.  My  journey  to  Columbus  was  not  in  vain.  In  a 
short  time  a  law  legalizing  the  division  of  joint  church-proper- 
ty was  passed.* 

"Now  we  went  to  court  again  requesting  the  division  of  the 
joint  church-property.  The  request  was  granted.  However, 
the  Lutherans  found  yet  another  way  open  to  still  further 
delay  our  building  operations;  for  they  could  appeal  to  the 
Supreme  Court.  This  was  promptly  done.  They  knew  that 
now  they  would  have  to  pay  us  half  the  value  of  the  old  church 
building ;  but  by  appealing,  they  believed  that  our  church  build- 
ing could  be  delayed  several  years.  In  this  way  they  hoped 
to  force  us  to  renew  our  former  proposition  to  them,  namely, 
to  give  them  our  share  in  the  old  church. 


*  This  bill  was  introduced  by  Jacob  A.  Ambler,  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  was  passed  March  26,  1859.  It  is  very 
brief,  containing  only  four  sections.  Of  these  the  first  and  most  im- 
portant forms  more  than  one-third  of  the  bill  and  is  worded  as  follows : 

Section  1.  That  in  all  cases  where  two  religious  societies  or  congre- 
gations, by  gift  or  purchase,  have  procured  land  upon  which  to  erect  a 
house  of  public  worship  and  other  buildings  for  church  or  school  pur- 
poses, and  for  a  burial  ground  and  cemetery,  in  common,  and  either  of 
said  societies  or  congregations  shall  be  desirous  of  abandoning  the 
joint  or  common  use  of  said  house  of  public  worship  or  other  erections, 
it  shall  be  competent  for  the  court  of  common  pleas  upon  application  of 
either  of  said  societies  or  congregations,  to  make  partition  of  the  use  of 
said  common  property,  except  the  burial  ground  and  cemetery,  which 
may  continue  to  be  used  in  common. 


SEPARATION  FROM  THE  LUTHERANS  103 

"In  the  spring  of  1861,  a  citizen  of  our  town  took  up  the 
matter.  Although  no  member  of  the  Reformed  church,  he  was 
nevertheless  a  true  friend  of  the  Reformed  congregation.  This 
citizen,  whose  name  was  Louis  Gibbs,  visited  the  leaders  of 
the  Lutheran  congregation  in  their  homes  and  with  his  suave, 
gentle,  and  persuasive  speech  succeeded  in  removing  the 
existing  difficulties  by  means  of  two  committees  appointed  by 
the  two  congregations.  The  joint  property  was  divided.  The 
Lutheran  congregation  took  the  eastern  half,  and  the  Reformed 
congregation  took  the  western  half.  According  to  the  terms 
of  the  settlement  the  Reformed  congregation  was  forced  to 
present  their  interest  in  the  old  church  to  the  Lutherans. 

"The  long-drawn  suit,  as  well  as  the  interruption  in  the 
building,  caused  the  Reformed  church  a  loss  of  at  least  one 
thousand  dollars. 

"A  new  building  committee  was  selected  consisting  of  Lud- 
wig  Bauereis,  Heinrich  Schack,  and  George  Deuble.  Conrad 
Schweitzer  remained  as  treasurer  of  the  building  fund. 

"Now  the  building  commenced  again.  The  first  founda- 
tion was  torn  out  and  replaced  by  a  new  one.  A  true  friend 
and  member  of  the  church  who  had  already  subscribed  $200, 
also  donated  the  large,  cut  stone  for  the  new  foundation.  Dur- 
ing the  first  summer  the 'building  was  put  under  roof  without 
any  debts.  During  the  winter  new  subscriptions  were  gath- 
ered. Most  of  the  lumber  for  the  inside  work  I  received  from 
the  members  of  the  country  congregations  which  belonged  to 
the  charge.  In  the  spring  work  began  again.  While  the  car- 
penters and  plasterers  were  completing  the  interior  work,  our 
women  were  busily  engaged  in  collecting  money  for  a  bell.  The 
bell  was  ordered,  but,  instead  of  one  bell,  two  arrived.  The 
dear  friend  who  had  already  furnished  the  stones  for  the  new 
foundation,  had  ordered  a  second  bell  at  his  own  expense.  This 
bell  he  named  after  his  own  name  the  "Schweitzerglocke." 
This  name  he  had  engraved  in  the  bell.  In  the  fall  of  1862  it 
was  possible  to  dedicate  the  church  to  the  Lord  free  of  debt. 
In  the  corner  stone  of  the  church  a  document  was  placed  which 


104  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

will  narrate  to  the  folks  of  a  later  generation,  how  the  Re- 
formed church  of  Canton  was  treated  by  a  Lutheran  church.* 
The  names  of  the  members  of  the  two  societies  of  women 
who  assisted  loyally  in  raising  funds  for  the  new  building,  as 
well  as  much  additional  information  concerning  the  erection 
of  the  building  itself  will  be  given  in  the  next  chapter. 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


gs 

§1 

HH      ft 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  CORNER  STONE  WITH  ITS  CONTENTS 
AND  THE  DEDICATION 

THE  work  on  the  new  church  progressed  so  favorably  that 
by  June  23,  1861  the  corner  stone  could  be  laid.  The 
rapid  progress  of  the  building  operations  was  due  largely  to 
the  untiring  efforts  of  Rev.  Herbruck.  He  displayed  an  "un- 
wearied zeal,  and  feared  no  effort  nor  exertion  to  bring  the 
work  that  had  been  begun  to  a  successful  conclusion."* 

A  great  multitude  had  assembled  to  witness  the  ceremon- 
ies of  laying  the  corner  stone.  As  many  as  could  find  room 
crowded  into  the  old  church.  Every  square  inch  of  space  was 
occupied  by  the  audience  which  was  estimated  at  about  eight 
hundred  souls.  Rev.  Robert  Kohler,  pastor  of  the  Mt.  Eaton, 
Ohio,  church,  preached  the  German  sermon  on  the  text  Ezra  3 : 
10-11,  "And  when  the  builders  laid  the  foundation  of  the  tem- 
ple of  Jehovah,  they  set  the  priests  in  their  apparel  with  trum- 
pets, and  the  Levites  the  sons  of  Asaph  with  cymbals,  to  praise 
Jehovah  .  .  and  they  sang  one  to  another  in  praising  and  giving 
thanks  unto  Jehovah,  saying,  For  he  is  good,  for  his  loving- 
kindness  endureth  forever."  Rev.  Buckingham,  pastor  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  then  delivered  an  English  sermon, 
choosing  for  his  text  I  Chron.  22:  19,  "Now  set  your  heart 
and  your  soul  to  seek  after  Jehovah  your  God ;  arise  therefore, 
and  build  ye  the  sanctuary  of  Jehovah  God,  to  bring  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  Jehovah,  and  the  holy  vessels  of  God,  into  the 
house  that  is  to  be  built  to  the  name  of  Jehovah." 

At  the  close  of  this  service  the  audience  marched  over  to 
the  site  where  the  new  church  was  being  built.  An  immense 
crowd  surrounded  the  foundation  walls  and  overflowed  into 
the  cemetery  adjoining.  The  people  in  attendance  were  esti- 
mated at  not  less  than  twenty-five  hundred.  They  had  come 


*  Report  in  "The  Evangelist." 

105 


106  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

not  only  from  Canton  but  also  from  all  the  country  congrega- 
tions served  by  Rev.  Herbruck.  The  music  was  furnished  by 
the  choirs  of  the  Canton  and  Paris  congregations,  who  sang 
alternatively  both  at  the  service  and  the  corner  stone  ceremon- 
ies. The  pastor  displayed  "the  usual  articles  for  the  corner- 
stone, a  Bible,  a  hymn-book,  a  catechism,  etc."  These  were 
placed  into  a  copper  box  which  was  thereupon  soldered  shut 
and  deposited  in  the  iron  receptacle  sunk  into  the  corner  stone. 
The  pastor  then  spread  a  layer  of  plaster  upon  the  top  and  the 
work  was  completed.  The  services  were  brought  to  a  close  by 
the  reading  of  the  96th  Psalm  by  Rev.  Herbruck,  prayer  by 
Rev.  Buckingham,  and  the  benediction  by  Rev.  Herbruck.  The 
offering  amounted  to  $54.  An  unusual  innovation  for  a  Ger- 
man church  was  introduced  in  the  taking  of  this  offering ;  for, 
to  the  amazement  of  the  audience,  some  of  the  women  of  the 
congregation  passed  around  and  collected  the  money. 

The  contents  of  a  corner  stone  are  always  of  peculiar  inter- 
est to  the  later  generations.  Rev.  Herbruck  in  his  "Reminis- 
cences" had  declared  that  "into  the  corner  stone  of  the  church  a 
document  was  placed  which  will  narrate  to  the  folks  of  a  later 
generation  how  the  Reformed  Church  of  Canton  was  treated 
by  a  Lutheran  Church."  Owing  to  the  meager  scraps  of  infor- 
mation preserved  from  that  period  of  our  history,  the  consis- 
tory decided  to  open  the  corner  stone  and  have  the  enclosed 
documents  copied.  After  the  publication  of  this  history,  all 
the  original  contents  of  the  corner  stone  together  with  a  copy 
of  the  history  and  the  latest  published  roll  of  the  members  will 
again  be  deposited  in  the  original  receptacle  and  walled  in  as  at 
the  beginning. 

When  the  church  was  enlarged  and  remodelled  in  1899,  a 
new  front  was  put  on  the  entire  building.  The  corner  stone 
was  thus  completely  hidden  behind  the  new  brickwork.  Al- 
though scores  of  members  were  still  living  who  had  walked 
by  the  corner  stone  countless  times,  not  one  could  be  found  who 
was  willing  to  assert  with  absolute  assurance  whether  the  stone 
was  on  the  southwest  or  southeast  corner  of  the  old  part  of 
the  building.  Opinion  however,  seemed  to  incline  towards  the 


THE  CORNERSTONE  AND  THE  DEDICATION  107 

southeast  corner.  Accordingly  Elder  Godfrey  Snyder  and  the 
pastor  attacked  the  job  of  getting  out  the  coveted  documents 
on  Wednesday  afternoon,  September  9,  1914.  It  proved  to 
be  a  laborious  undertaking  owing  to  the  new  brickwork  which 
had  been  built  entirely  around  the  corner,  making  it  extremely 
difficult  to  get  to  the  desired  point.  About  ten  bricks  were 
removed  from  the  face  of  the  old  wall  which  made  it  possible 
to  dig  behind  the  new  portion  without  disturbing  it.  Elder 
Snyder  did  practically  all  of  the  work,  the  pastor  being  obliged 
to  content  himself  with  furnishing  the  necessary  encourage- 
ment. The  inside  bricks  and  plaster  were  found  in  perfect 
condition  and  extremely  solid.  After  about  two  hours  labor 
the  iron  lid  of  the  corner  stone  receptacle  was  struck.  That  was 
a  glad  moment  for  the  workers ;  but  much  hard  digging  was 
required  before  the  copper  box  could  finally  be  cut  open  and 
the  contents  removed. 

In  the  meantime  several  more  people  had  assembled  and 
were  waiting  for  the  moment  when  the  contents  buried  for 
more  than  half  a  century  should  be  brought  forth.  Among 
these  were  Elder  Adam  Thomas,  Karl  Raber,  Karl  Snyder, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bolliger,  and  several  small  children. 

Sunk  into  the  corner  stone  was  a  strong  iron  box  eleven  by 
eight  by  six  inches  in  size,  covered  by  a  close  fitting  lid.  With- 
in this  was  a  heavy  copper  box  soldered  shut  so  as  to  be  per- 
fectly air  and  water-tight.  Within  this  box  the  following  ob- 
jects were  found:  a  large  German  Bible  7^4  by  5  by  2  inches 
in  dimensions;  a  German  union  hymnal  prepared  for  Re- 
formed and  Lutheran  congregations,  published  by  Wilhelm 
Radde  of  New  York,  and  still  extensively  used  by  union  con- 
gregations ;  a  Heidelberg  Catechism ;  copies  of  four  newspa- 
pers, namely,  "Der  Deutsche  in  Ohio"  dated  June  19,  1861, 
published  in  Canton;  "Der  Evangelist,"  Cleveland,  Ohio,  of 
June  15,  1861 ;  "Die  Reformierte  Kirchenzeitung,"  Chambers- 
burg,  Pa.,  of  June  1,  1861,  and  "The  Western  Missionary," 
Dayton,  Ohio,  of  May  2,  1861 ;  two  historical  documents,  one 
written  by  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck,  and  the  other  by  Dr.  Danzi- 
ger;  eleven  coins,  namely,  four  Indian-head  cents,  two  eagle 


108  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

cents,  three  old  style  cents  bigger  and  heavier  than  a  quarter, 
one  half-dime  and  one  three-cent  piece.  Two  of  the  big  cent 
pieces  had  portions  punched  out  of  them.  The  donor  of  these 
probably  desired  these  bits  as  souvenirs.  In  addition  to  these 
articles  the  tinners  who  did  the  tinwork  and  the  painter  wrote 
their  names  on  a  card  and  threw  it  in  so  that  their  name  and 
fame  might  not  be  lost  to  the  coming  generations.  The  tin- 
ners were  Lewis  M.  Slusser,  John  J.  Clark,  H.  V.  Russell.  The 
painter  was  E.  Stover. 

The  document  written  by  Rev.  Herbruck  in  which  he  gives 
a  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  congregation  is  of  so  much  value 
that  it  alone  would  have  abundantly  repaid  the  labor  of  open- 
ing the  corner  stone.  The  translation  of  this  interesting  ac- 
count is  here  given,  with  two  corrections  which  are  placed  in 
brackets : 

"In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Amen." 

"The  corner  stone  of  this  church  was  laid  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord,  1861,  on  Sunday,  the  23d  day  of  June;  during  the 
time  that  Abraham  Lincoln  was  president  of  the  United  States, 
and  William  Dennison  was  Governor  of  the  State  of  Ohio; 
and  at  the  time  when  the  secession  of  several  states  from  the 
Union  had  brought  about  a  civil  war. 

"The  church  was  built  by  the  First  Reformed  congregation 
of  this  community,  and  is  to  have  the  name  The  Reformed  Je- 
rusalem's Church.  The  congregation  was  gathered  by  Rev.  J.  P. 
Mahnenschmidt,  who,  however,  as  he  was  not  stationed  here, 
visited  the  congregation  only  from  time  to  time;  until  in  the 
year  1820  [The  date  is  not  given  correctly.  It  should  be  1818.] 
a  regular  pastor  was  obtained  in  the  person  of  Rev.  B.  Faust. 
In  the  year  1823,  the  Reformed  congregation  united  with  the 
Lutheran  congregation  of  this  place  in  buying  a  piece  of  ground 
for  a  burial  place,  because  the  two  congregations  at  that  time 
were  still  weak  and  without  means. 

"However,  there  never  existed  that  peace  and  harmony  that 
should  have  been  present.  Frictions  and  dissensions  unfor- 
tunately came  up  frequently.  But  regardless  of  this,  and  in 


THE  CORNERSTONE  AND  THE  DEDICATION  109 

spite  of  the  fact  that  the  growth  of  the  Reformed  Church  was 
deliberately  hindered,  the  membership  during  the  last  twenty- 
eight  years  increased  more  than  sevenfold,  and  it  is  plainly  to 
be  seen  that  the  Lord  has  been  with  us.  The  congregation 
now  numbers  almost  300  members.  [The  figures  given  do  not 
agree  with  the  facts  and  conclusions  presented  in  Chapter  V. 
The  most  probable  explanation  is  that  Rev.  Herbruck's  mem- 
ory led  him  to  confuse  individual  members  and  families  at  the 
moment  of  writing  this  document.  Canton  had  almost  300  in- 
dividual members  in  1861.  One-seventh  of  this  number  would 
be  about  forty.  The  records  still  extant  prove  that  this  num- 
ber if  taken  as  individuals  is  far  too  small ;  but  if  it  represents 
families  the  result  would  be  about  130  to  150  individuals,  which 
agrees  with  the  conclusions  of  the  fifth  chapter.  The  "frictions 
and  dissensions"  spoken  of  did  not  begin  until  about  1840.] 
In  the  year  1859,  the  Reformed  congregation  decided  to  build 
a  church  for  their  own  use.  They  immediately  began  the  build- 
ing on  the  same  piece  of  ground  which,  as  has  already  been 
said,  had  been  bought  by  the  two  congregations  together.  But 
when  the  foundation  was  barely  half  finished,  the  Lutheran 
congregation  brought  suit  against  the  Reformed  congregation, 
and  building  had  to  be  postponed.  Every  proposition  of  the 
Reformed  congregation  for  a  peaceable  solution  of  the  matter 
was  rejected  by  the  Lutheran  congregation.  Yea,  even  when 
the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  had  rendered  its  decision  and  had 
ordered  a  division  of  the  joint  property,  the  Lutherans  appealed 
to  the  State  Supreme  Court.  Although  there  were  no  pros- 
pects that  the  Supreme  Court  would  render  a  different  verdict 
than  the  one  already  given  by  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  they 
nevertheless  sought  to  hinder  the  building  as  long  as  possible. 

"In  the  spring  of  1861,  a  citizen  of  our  town  took  up  the 
matter ;  although  no  member  of  the  church,  he  was  neverthe- 
less a  true  friend  of  the  Reformed  congregation.  This  citizen 
whose  name  was  Louis  Gibbs,  visited  the  leaders  of  the  Luth- 
eran congregation  in  their  homes  and  with  his  suave,  gentle, 
and  persuasive  speech  succeeded  in  removing  the  existing 
difficulties  by  means  of  two  committees  appointed  by  the  two 


110  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

congregations.  The  joint  property  was  divided.  The  Luthe- 
ran congregation  took  the  eastern  half,  and  the  Reformed  con- 
gregation took  the  western  half.  The  project  was  then  taken 
up  anew  by  the  congregation,  subscriptions  were  gathered,  and 
all  necessary  arrangements  were  made  to  bring  the  building  to 
its  completion. 

<(The  long-drawn  suit,  as  well  as  the  interruption  in  the 
building,  caused  the  Reformed  church  a  loss  of  at  least  one 
thousand  dollars.  Mr.  C.  Schweitzer  was  elected  treasurer 
of  the  building  fund  by  the  congregation,  and  the  brethren 
Ludwig  Bauereis,  Heinrich  Schack,  and  George  Deuble  con- 
stituted the  building  committee.  All  these  brethren  are  very 
enthusiastic  in  the  good  work,  and  are  assisting  it  with  great 
self-denial  and  sacrifice. 

"Rev.  P.  Herbruck  has  been  the  minister  of  the  congrega- 
tion for  twenty-nine  years.  The  present  consistory  consists 
of  the  brethren  Jacob  Liphart  and  Ludwig  Bauereis  as  elders ; 
and  Heinrich  Schack,  Johannes  Weber,  Michael  Miller,  and 
Daniel  Schmidt  as  deacons. 

"To  assist  in  the  building,  two  woman's  sewing  societies 
were  also  formed,  namely,  a  Woman's  Society,  and  a  Maiden's 
Society. 

"The  Woman's  Society  consists  of  the  following  sisters : 
Mrs.  Langhaus,  President.  Caroline  Deuble,  Treasurer. 

Sophie  Harshold,  Katherine  Paar, 

Nanetta  Schweitzer,  Mary  Glass, 

Elizabeth  Schilling,  Barbara  Schmidt, 

Caroline  Dewies,  Elizabeth  Blum, 

Marie  Ohliger,  Rosina  Hexamer, 

Katherine  Leiter,  Louise  Stahler, 

Mary  Herbruck,  Barbara  Kuhr, 

Christine  Grofmiller,  Rosina  Mack, 

Caroline  Blum,  Katherine  Vogelgesang, 

Frau  Bauman,  Anna  Bauereis, 

Susanne  Deuble,  Caroline  Gibbs, 

Magdalena  Schack,  Charlotta  Glass, 

S.  Herbruck,  Katherine  Schmidt, 

Maria  Baemer,  Elizabeth  Vogelgesang, 

Katherine  Weber,  Katherine  Delb. 

Frau  Merz, 


THE  CORNERSTONE  AND  THE  DEDICATION  111 

"The  Maiden's  Society  consists  of  the  sisters : 

Caroline  Schuff,  President.  Catherine  Einnerich, 

Lorena  Schuff,  Lorena  Rank, 

Aurelia  Bauhof,  Elizabeth  Heingartner, 

Elizabeth  Schuff,  Mary  Miller, 

Sarah  Smith,  Catherine  Kaufman, 

Louise  Rank,  Elizabeth  Ulrich, 

Louise  Stabler,  Elizabeth  Schack, 

Louise  Glass,  Mary  Boas, 

Anna  Ulrich,  Amelia  Herbruck, 

Susanna  Schack,  Helena  Koehler, 

Amelia  Stuerhoff,  Blandina  Miller. 

"The  following  preachers  were  present  at  the  laying  of  the 
corner  stone :  R.  Koehler,  Rev.  Buckingham,  and  the  local  pas- 
tor, P.  Herbruck. 

"Rev.  R.  Koehler  preached  from  the  words  of  Ezra  3 :  10- 
1 1  in  the  German  language,  and  Rev.  Buckingham  on  the  words 
found  in  I  Chron.  22 :  19. 

"When  the  building  of  this  edifice  was  begun  two  years 
ago,  the  building  committee  consisted  of  the  brethren  Ludwig 
Ohliger,  Peter  Preyer,  Heinrich  Bergman,  Joseph  Herschy, 
Johannes  Glass,  Christian  Vogelgesang  and  Father  Koenig. 

"These  men  were  all  very  enthusiastic  for  the  good  work, 
especially  did  Ludwig  Gluger  distinguish  himself  in  the  work." 
P.  HERBRUCK,  Preacher  of  the  congregation. 

"Mr.  F.  Dressel  built  the  foundation  of  the  church. 

"Mr.  McGregor  furnished  the  foundation  stones. 

"Mr.  John  Schuff  laid  the  foundation  stones. 

"Mr.  H.  Biemendoerfer  did  the  carpenter  work." 

In  addition  to  the  above  document,  there  was  also  a  second 
written  by  Dr.  Danziger  in  which  another  brief  historical 
sketch  is  given.  As  this  is  a  mere  repetition  of  the  facts  pre- 
sented by  Rev.  Herbruck,  it  is  omitted,  with  the  exception  of 
the  close,  which  contains  some  interesting  information  on  the 
price  of  the  "means  of  living,"  which  is  given  in  part.  Wheat 
was  selling  at  $1.00  a  bushel,  oats  for  25  cents,  rye  for  50  cents, 
corn  for  35  cents,  potatoes  for  25  cents.  Butter  was  eight 


112  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

cents  a  pound,  and  eggs  were  seven  cents  a  dozen.  "Provisions 
have  fallen  in  price  owing  to  the  war  with  the  southern  states." 

Although  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  and  the  con- 
sequent demoralization  of  business  and  industrial  conditions, 
added  to  the  difficulty  of  raising  the  needed  funds,  the  members 
of  the  congregation  worked  on  undismayed.  During  the  sum- 
mer, the  walls  went  up,  and  the  roof  was  put  on  without  in- 
curring any  debts.  Then  during  the  fall  and  winter  a  new 
campaign  for  subscriptions  was  carried  on.  The  wood  for 
finishing  the  inside  was  given  by  members  of  the  country  con- 
gregations. In  the  spring  (1862)  the  carpenters  and  plasterers 
could  be  started  to  work  again.  The  Women's  Societies  were 
working  and  collecting  to  secure  money  enough  for  a  bell,  and 
finally  in  the  fall  all  things  were  ready  for  the  dedication. 

The  dimensions  of  the  new  church  were  80  by  48  feet  with 
a  height  of  28  feet.  The  steeple  was  145  feet  high  and  could 
be  plainly  seen  over  the  entire  town  that  did  not  boast  of  many 
high  buildings  at  that  time.  Two  bells  had  been  installed  in 
the  tower;  the  one  had  been  secured  by  the  diligence  of  the 
women,  the  other  had  been  presented  by  Conrad  Schweitzer. 
The  windows  contained  only  plain  glass,  and  were  protected 
without  by  huge  shutters.  The  organ  was  placed  in  the  center 
of  the  gallery,  and  the  pulpit  stood  in  the  center  where  the 
choir  loft  now  is.*  The  pews  were  perfectly  straight  with 
square  ends  and  were  arranged  so  as  to  give  a  wide  central 
aisle,  and  a  narrower  aisle  on  each  side.  The  necessary  heat 
was  furnished  by  a  giant  stove  placed  in  the  center  of  the 
building,  with  about  forty-five  feet  of  stove-pipe  leading  to  the 
chimney  near  the  northwest  corner.  The  church  was  seldom 
used  in  the  evening,  though  provisions  were  made  for  lighting 
the  auditorium  by  means  of  lamps  fastened  to  the  walls  and 
provided  with  reflectors. 

Sunday,  October  5,  was  selected  for  the  day  of  dedica- 
tion. A  great  multitude  of  people  assembled.  The  five  coun- 


*  The  recess,  where  the  pipe  organ  now  stands  was  not  built  until 
Rev.  Rust's  pastorate ;  at  which  time  also  the  window  west  of  the  organ 
recess  was  walled  shut. 


THE  CORNERSTONE  AND  THE  DEDICATION          113 

try  congregations  still  served  by  Rev.  Herbruck  sent  large  del- 
egations. "The  new  house  of  God  could  not  contain  them  all. 
In  the  church  at  least  800  persons  had  assembled."  Rev.  Rob- 
ert Kohler,  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Akron,  preached 
at  the  German  service  in  the  morning  on  the  subject  "The  Great 
Significance  of  the  House  of  God."  The  text  was  taken  from 
Gen.  28:  17,  "How  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none  other 
than  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven."  After 
the  sermon,  the  building  was  dedicated  by  the  pastor  to  the 
service  of  the  Triune  God.  In  the  afternoon  an  English  serv- 
ice was  held.  Rev.  Buckingham  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
Canton,  preached.  By  a  peculiar  coincidence  he  had  selected 
the  same  text  that  had  been  used  by  Rev.  Kohler  in  the  morn- 
ing. In  the  evening  Rev.  David  Kaemmerer,  pastor  of  the 
Reformed  Church  at  Wooster,  preached  on  the  text,  Psalm  26 : 
8,  "Jehovah,  I  love  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place 
where  thy  glory  dwelleth."  At  each  service  the  building  was 
crowded  with  attentive  hearers. 

An  offering  of  $150  was  brought  during  the  day.  A  debt 
of  several  hundred  dollars  still  rested  upon  the  new  building. 

The  Canton  congregation  had  now  grown  to  such  a  mem- 
bership that  the  people  demanded  one  service  each  Sunday. 
This  necessitated  the  giving  up  of  several  of  the  country  con- 
gregations belonging  to  the  charge,  leaving  only  the  Canton, 
Osnaburg,  Paris,  and  St.  Jacob's  (Cairo)  congregations  to  be 
served  by  Rev.  Herbruck.  The  pastor's  salary  also  was  cor- 
respondingly increased.  During  the  first  twenty  years,  the 
Canton  congregation  paid  Rev.  Herbruck  less  than  $100  a  year 
as  salary;  during  the  next  ten  years,  he  received  $150;  as  one 
after  another  of  the  country  congregations  had  to  be  dropped 
because  Canton  demanded  more  of  the  minister's  time,  the  sal- 
ary was  increased  until  in  1870  it  amounted  to  $750  without 
parsonage. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  INEVITABLE  ENGLISH  AND  A  FEW 
OTHER  THINGS 

WHEN  the  new  church  was  dedicated,  all  the  regular 
services  of  the  Canton  congregations  were  still  con- 
ducted in  German.  Already  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin Faust  some  English  had  been  necessary  and  was  willing- 
ly granted.  When  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  became  pastor  of  the 
charge  he  was  unable  to  officiate  in  the  English  language ;  and 
in  later  years,  although  he  became  quite  proficient  in  English, 
he  steadily  refused  to  use  it  for  public  discourse  or  sermon. 
As  early  as  1837  a  small  group  of  members  left  the  Canton 
congregation  and  united  with  the  English  speaking  Lutherans 
in  the  organization  of  the  Trinity  Lutheran  Church.  During 
the  next  fifteen  years,  the  controversies  that  raged  over  the 
questions  of  temperance,  change  of  language  and  the  new- 
measure  movement  caused  the  loss  of  scores  of  members  in 
Canton. 

The  coming  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  in  1851  started 
a  boom  in  population  and  industries.  Manufactories  for  the 
production  of  harvesting  machinery,  farm  implements,  tools 
and  other  necessities  were  erected.  A  large  influx  of  popula- 
tion followed.  The  town  grew  from  2000  in  1850  to  4000  in 
1860,  and  had  reached  9000  in  1870.  Many  of  the  new-com- 
ers were  Germans  and  Swiss,  for  these  were  the  years  of  a 
phenomenal  German  immigration.  The  Reformed  congrega- 
tion therefore  grew  rapidly  and  actually  contained  a  larger 
number  of  German  adult  members  than  ever  before.  Under 
these  circumstances  Rev.  Herbruck  became  the  more  deter- 
mined not  to  permit  any  English  to  be  used  at  the  regular  serv- 
ices, even  though  the  American  born  members  and  their  chil- 
dren might  ask  for  it. 

After  the  new  church  was  built  the  demand  for  some  Eng- 

114 


H 

M 

I5  5 

-i     "-1 


S.  w 


THE  INEVITABLE  ENGLISH  115 

lish  became  insistent.  Rev.  T.  H.  Good,  D.D.,*  in  1871  de- 
scribes the  situation  in  Canton  in  these  words,  "The  organiza- 
tion (of  an  English  congregation)  was  delayed  much  too  long. 
Twenty  years  ago  (that  is  about  1850)  we  should  have  had 
such  a  congregation.  We  have  lost  immensely  by  the  delay. 
If  the  families  that  were  once  members  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  but  are  now  scattered  among  other  English  organiza- 
tions in  Canton,  were  gathered  together,  they  would  make  by 
far  the  wealthiest  and  strongest  congregation  in  the  place."** 

Though  Rev.  Herbruck  was  absolutely  opposed  to  the  in- 
troduction of  English  into  his  German  congregation,  he  grad- 
ually became  convinced  that  an  English  congregation  ought  to 
be  organized  to  prevent  the  constant  loss  of  Reformed  mem- 
bers to  other  denominations  on  account  of  the  language.  He 
also  offered  to  assist  an  English  organization  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability.  The  development  of  this  new  attitude  will  be 
given  in  his  own  words : 

"Several  years  after  our  church  had  been  built,  the  Ohio 
Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church  held  its  annual  session  in  the 
new  building  (1864).  A  number  of  the  English  brethren  did 
not  seem  to  like  it  very  well  that  the  congregation  was  still  all 
German.  I  received  many  a  broad  hint  that  English  ought  to 
be  introduced  speedily.  Not  very  long  after  the  Synod  meet- 
ing I  got  a  letter  from  one  of  the  prominent  English  brethren 
in  which  he  said,  "Brother  Herbruck,  there  must  be  English 
preaching  in  your  congregation."  I  answered,  "No,  in  my  con- 
gregation there  will  be  no  regular  English  preaching.  The  con- 
gregation is  German  and  shall  remain  German."  Soon  another 
letter  came  reminding  me  that  unless  English  was  introduced, 
our  young  people  would  soon  be  lost  to  the  congregation.  My 
answer  was,  "Canton  lies  before  you.  If  the  English  brethren 
desire  an  English  congregation,  let  them  come  and  organize 


*  Dr.  Good  had  been  a  professor  in  the  college  and  the  theological 
seminary,  Tiffin,  Ohio  for  a  score  of  years,  and  was  intimately  acquaint- 
ed with  the  conditions  in  the  congregation. 

**  Christian  World,  Oct.  19,  1871. 


116  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

one."  I  offered  to  assist  them  to  the  extent  of  my  ability; 
but  refused  to  permit  regular  English  preaching  in  my  congre- 
gation. 

"When  it  was  finally  discovered  that  Brother  Herbruck 
could  not  easily  be  persuaded  to  do  something  which  he  did  not 
consider  to  be  good,  the  decision  was  reached  to  organize  a  new 
congregation  in  the  city  of  Canton."f 

On  November  24,  1870,  the  consistory  unanimously  au- 
thorized the  pastor  to  call  a  congregational  meeting  to  vote  on 
the  question  of  allowing  an  English  congregation  about  to  be 
organized,  the  use  of  the  church.  This  congregational  meeting 
was  held  January  22,  1871.  One  hundred  and  two  votes  were 
cast.  Of  these  only  sixteen  were  opposed  to  the  granting  of 
the  request.  It  was  also  resolved,  that,  "The  church  may  be 
occupied  by  the  Second  Reformed  congregation  when  not  used 
by  the  German  congregation ;  the  Second  congregation  paying 
half  for  heating,  cleaning,  and  lighting  the  church." 

On  April  6,  the  consistory  of  the  mother-church  and  the 
consistory  of  the  Second  congregation  "when  regularly  organ- 
ized" met  and  drew  up  rather  elaborate  and  legally  phrased 
"Articles  of  Agreement"  which  were  signed  by  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  two  consistories.  In  these  articles  it  was  stipulated 
that,  "The  congregation,  when  regularly  organized,  styled  the 
Second  Reformed  Congregation,  may  have  the  use,  for  divine 
service,  of  the  German  Reformed  Jerusalem's 'Church,  at  such 
seasons  or  hours  when  not  occupied  by  the  German  congrega- 
tion, their  minister  being  umpire  as  to  time,  from  April  1,  1871 
to  April  1,  1872;  provided  they  will  agree  ...  to  pay  expenses 
according  to  the  number  of  times  occupied  by  their  congrega- 
tion during  the  year,  for  cleaning,  warming,  and  lighting  the 
church  .  .  .  for  the  payment  of  which  money  the  said  consis- 
tory of  the  Second  part,  do  individually  and  collectively  bind 
themselves  and  their  successors  in  office." 

Rev.  J.  B.  Schumacher  became  the  first  pastor  of  the  new 
congregation,  which  he  organized  with  eighteen  charter  mem- 


t  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


THE  INEVITABLE  ENGLISH  117 

bers.  In  a  few  months  the  number  had  increased  to  thirty 
and  the  desire  arose  to  acquire  their  own  church  property. 

Rev.  Herbruck  heartily  sympathized  with  this  plan  and 
offered  to  support  it  handsomely.  His  experiences  in  this  con- 
nection are  graphically  described  by  himself : 

"About  this  time  the  Baptist  church  offered  their  building 
for  sale,  intending  to  build  a  larger  church  on  a  new  location. 
It  was  a  brick  building,  almost  as  good  as  new,  near  the  center 
of  the  town,  and  of  about  the  same  size  as  the  building  later 
erected  by  the  English  Reformed  Church.  I  went  to  the  offi- 
cial board  of  the  Baptist  church  and  inquired  concerning  the 
price.  The  church  and  lots  were  offered  me  for  $4000.  Then 
I  made  the  English  Reformed  congregation  the  proposition  to 
buy  this  church ;  offering  personally  to  give  $200,  and  one  of 
my  sons  promised  $500.  In  this  way  the  congregation  itself 
would  have  had  to  raise  only  $3300.  My  well-intended  propo- 
sition was  at  once  refused.  The  $200  from  me  and  the  $500 
from  my  son  were  indeed  fondly  desired,  but  the  English 
church  must  remain  close  to  the  German.  A  lot  was  there- 
fore bought  near  the  German  church  and  about  $3300  was 
paid  for  it.  Then  a  frame  church  was  built  for  about  $3500. 
If  my  advice  had  been  accepted,  the  English  congregation 
would  have  had  a  church  almost  in  the  center  of  town,  and 
would  have  saved  $3500,  besides  a  considerable  number  of 
splendid  members."* 

The  Second  congregation  received  some  missionary  aid  at 
the  beginning,  and  Rev.  Herbruck  believed  that  some  of  the 
leaders  in  the  Ohio  Synod  had  deliberately  directed  the  Sec- 
ond congregation  to  choose  the  East  Tuscarawas  Street  loca- 
tion almost  opposite  the  mother-church,  because  it  had  been 
determined  that  "Brother  Herbruck  must  be  made  to  pay  some- 
thing for  his  stubbornness,"*  in  not  introducing  English  serv- 
ices into  his  congregation.  "The  church  to  be  built  will  there- 
fore be  put  just  as  near  as  possible  to  the  German  church  of 
Bro.  Herbruck.  The  reason  for  this  can  easily  be  imagined."* 


*  Herbruck  Reminiscences. 


118  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

On  Sunday,  September  1,  1871,  the  corner  stone  was  laid, 
and  in  a  few  months  a  neat  frame  church  40  by  36  feet  with 
a  bell-tower  had  been  erected. 

The  purpose  of  the  location  opposite  the  old  church  soon 
revealed  itself.  Strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  get  members 
of  the  mother-church  to  go  over.  These  efforts  were  contin- 
ued for  several  years.  Perhaps  the  methods  used  were  not 
always  discreet  nor  in  accord  with  congregational  courtesy; 
the  inevitable  result  was  a  feeling  of  estrangement  between  the 
two  congregations.  It  is  certain  that  the  development  of  the 
Reformed  Church  in  Canton  was  thrown  back  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century  by  the  short-sighted  policy  which  dictated  the  loca- 
tion of  the  Second  Church.  The  kindest  judgment  that  the 
present  generation  can  pass  upon  it,  is  that  it  was  a  strategic 
error. 

The  first  frame  building  gave  way  to  a  commodious  brick 
edifice  in  1890,  and  this  in  turn  was  abandoned  when  the  Trin- 
ity Congregation  moved  into  the  "fine,  Greek  Classic  structure 
which  stands  so  majestically  on  the  slope  of  North  Market 
Street  Hill,"  in  1914.  The  membership  now  numbers  1554, 
with  a  Sunday  school  enrollment  of  1700.  The  total  annual 
offerings  for  all  benevolent  purposes  are  about  $6000. 

The  minutes  of  the  consistory  during  this  period  reveal 
some  striking  little  pictures  from  the  shifting  congregational 
life,  which  give  an  insight  into  some  of  the  problems  which  had 
to  be  faced.  Numerous  cases  of  discipline  occurred.  Among 
the  causes  which  were  counted  as  sufficient  for  exclusion  from 
church  membership  we  find  the  following:  refusal  to  pay  the 
subscription  for  the  building  of  the  new  church,  berating  the 
pastor  without  cause  or  reason,  being  general  stumbling  blocks, 
disturbing  the  congregational  harmony,  etc.  One  man  was 
promptly  and  properly  disciplined,  "Because  he  declared  at  an 
election  that  if  Herb  ruck  would  resign  he  would  furnish  a  keg 
of  beer  to  be  drunk  at  the  church." 

During  the  period  from  1862-75,  it  is  plain  that  strenuous 
efforts  were  put  forth  to  raise  the  standards  for  membership. 
In  1869  it  was  made  a  rule  that,  "No  member  who  has  ceased 


THE  INEVITABLE  ENGLISH  119 

attending  the  public  worship  and  the  Lord's  Supper  without 
cause  shall  be  permitted  to  vote  at  elections  that  pertain  to  any 
spiritual  matters."  In  1870,  all  delinquent  members  were  ad- 
monished that  they  must  either  do  their  Christian  duty  or  else 
they  "would  have  their  names  stricken  from  the  church  regis- 
ter." In  1871,  the  treasurer  was  instructed  not  to  receive  any 
money  from  those  whose  names  still  appeared  on  the  roll  "who 
do  not  lead  a  religious  life  that  conforms  to  the  requirements 
of  our  constitution  or  the  tenets  of  our  church."  During  this 
year  the  custom  was  also  introduced  of  receiving  members  on 
six  months'  probation  to  determine  whether  they  would  prove 
desirable  acquisitions  or  not.  The  practice  was  continued  for 
a  number  of  years.  Finally  in  1874,  the  consistory  unanimous- 
ly declared  that,  "We  would  hail  with  delight  the  upbuilding 
of  a  young  men's  Temperance  Society  in  our  midst"  and  steps 
were  taken  to  organize  such  a  society.  Though  but  little  prac- 
tical benefit  came  from  the  attempt,  the  fact  that  the  consis- 
tory took  such  action  gave  notice  that  a  new  era  was  inevitably 
dawning.  At  the  same  time  the  consistory  also  declared  that, 
"We  have  watched  with  painful  feelings,  the  gross  immorality 
and  careless  demeanor  of  many  who  claim  to  be  members  of 
our  church,  and  who  also  refuse  in  anywise  to  support  the 
church,  therefore,  all  such  members  who  continue  in  their 
sins  and  refusal  to  do  their  Christian  and  church  duties  shall 
have  their  names  stricken  from  the  roll." 

The  reason  for  this  better  attention  to  church  discipline 
must  be  found  in  the  fact  that  Rev.  Herbruck  had  gradually 
given  up  all  the  congregations  outside  of  Canton,  and  hence 
could  exercise  more  careful  pastoral  oversight  in  his  one  re- 
maining congregation. 

In  1862  when  the  Canton  church  was  dedicated  there  were 
still  six  congregations  in  the*  charge.  During  the  next  years 
St.  Martin's,  St.  Peter's,  and  St.  Jacob's  were  dropped,  Paris 
in  1871  and  Osnaburg  in  1872. 

Soon  after  the  dedication  of  the  new  church,  a  parochial 
schoolhouse  was  also  erected,  and  a  school  was  maintained  for 
many  years.  Such  information  as  is  still  available  concerning 


120  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

this  interesting  phase  of  congregational  activity  will  be  present- 
ed in  a  later  chapter. 

The  cemetery  that  occupied  most  of  the  church  plot  except 
where  the  church  stood  was  gradually  abandoned.  After  the 
West  Lawn  Cemetery  was  opened  many  of  the  bodies  were 
removed  from  the  church's  burying  ground;  but  occasional 
interments  still  took  place  until  1874  when  the  congregation  by 
a  vote  of  thirty-one  to  ten  forbade  any  further  burials.  Three 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  War  are  still  buried  there.  Their  names 
have  been  forgotten,  the  site  of  the  graves  must  be  guessed  at, 
but  each  year  on  Memorial  Day  three  G.  A.  R.  flags  are  placed 
on  the  probable  site  of  the  graves.  There  they  wave  until  wind 
and  weather  have  torn  them  to  shreds,  as  mute  reminders  to 
the  passer-by,  that  the  ground  had  once  been  hallowed  to  the 
departed  by  the  tears  and  sorrows  of  the  living. 

The  first  year  that  the  Canton  congregation  alone  was 
served  by  Rev.  Herbruck,  he  reported  to  the  Classis  that  there 
were  494  members  in  the  church,  and  200  enrolled  in  the  Sun- 
day school.  Thirty-six  had  been  confirmed,  and  89  baptized, 
and  $293  were  given  for  benevolence. 

In  1875  Heidelberg  College  recognized  the  long  and  influ- 
ential career  of  Rev.  Herbruck  by  granting  to  him  the  honor- 
ary title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 


REV.  PETER  IIERBRUCK,    D.D. 
At  the  time  of  his  fiftieth  anniversary,  1881 


CHAPTER  XVI 
CLOSING  YEARS  OF  REV.  HERBRUCK'S  LIFE 

THE  last  ten  years  of  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck's  pastorate 
were  unmarked  by  any  special  event  in  the  development 
of  the  congregation.  The  number  of  additions  from  year  to 
year  made  up  for  the  losses,  and  also  showed  a  slight  increase. 
The  physical  vigor  of  the  pastor  under  the  strenuous  activities 
of  half  a  century  had  been  depleted.  Though  he  still  forced 
himself  to  meet  all  his  appointments,*  his  hold  was  gradually 
slipping.  Frequently,  especially  during  the  last  five  years,  he 
would  have  to  stop  after  speaking  for  a  few  minutes  and  say 
with  a  sigh,  "I  am  too  weak  to  preach  any  longer,  we  will  have 
to  close  for  to-day." 

The  natural  result  was  a  gradual  scattering  of  the  congre- 
gational forces.  The  congregation  still  loath  to  lose  their  aged 
pastor  made  various  efforts,  from  1880  on,  to  secure  his  son,  the 
Rev.  Emil  Herbruck  of  Akron,  Ohio,  as  assistant  pastor.  Fail- 
ing in  this  effort,  several  other  ministers  were  invited  to  preach 
trial  sermons  with  the  view  of  becoming  assistant  pastor,  but 
no  suitable  assistant  could  be  secured.  Rev.  Herbruck  there- 
fore continued  his  labors  until  January,  1886. 

One  event  of  these  years,  however,  stood  out  and  is  still 
frequently  spoken  of  by  the  older  members  of  the  church,  and 
that  was  the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Rev. 
Herbruck's  landing  upon  American  soil,  and  the  forty-ninth 
anniversary  of  his  permanent  connection  with  the  Canton  con- 
gregation as  pastor.  The  joyous  event  occurred  on  Sunday, 
December  4,  1881. 

The  church  was  festooned  with  evergreens.  The  pulpit 
was  decked  with  flowers,  on  the  north  wall  of  the  church  was  a 


*  At  the  fiftieth  anniversary  service,  Rev.  Herbruck  stated  that  only 
six  times  during  all  the  years  of  his  pastoral  labors  had  sickness  pre- 
vented him  from  meeting  an  appointment. 

121 


122  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O 

large  inscription  in  evergreens  reading,  1831-1881,  and  every- 
where banners  were  on  display.  At  the  morning  service  Rev. 
H.  J.  Ruetenik,  D.D.,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  a  lifelong  friend  of 
the  pastor,  preached  in  German  on  the  parable  of  the  ten  vir- 
gins. "It  was  an  able  sermon  full  of  good  thoughts  and  valua- 
ble suggestions,  the  principal  lesson  drawn  from  the  text  being 
the  necessity  of,  at  all  times,  being  ready  to  avail  ourselves  of 
the  various  opportunities  for  advancement  that  are  given  us 
throughout  our  life." 

Rev.  Herbruck  then  gave  a  sketch  of  his  life  with  many  an 
anecdote  both  droll  and  serious. 

In  honor  of  the  occasion  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  presented 
the  pastor's  wife  with  a  silver  tea  set,  and  the  congregation 
gave  the  pastor  a  gold  medal.  On  one  side,  "In  raised  work 
of  yellow  gold  was  a  Bible  with  a  crown  resting  upon  it,  both 
encircled  with  a  laurel  wreath."  On  the  reverse  side  was  a 
suitable,  honorary  inscription.  At  the  afternoon  service  var- 
ious ministers  of  the  town  gave  brief  congratulatory  addresses. 
In  the  evening  Rev.  Joseph  Keller,  D.D.,  Randolph,  Ohio, 
preached. 

Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  continued  his  labors  until  January, 
1886,  after  which  he  lived  in  quiet  retirement  at  the  old  home- 
stead, corner  of  Tuscarawas  Street,  East,  and  Herbruck  Court, 
until  his  death.  After  his  retirement  he  still  worshiped  fre- 
quently with  his  former  flock  and  performed  many  ministerial 
acts,  such  as  baptisms,  funerals,  and  marriages.  The  total 
number  of  these  ministerial  functions  performed  during  his 
long  career  as  pastor  has  been  given  as  follows :  baptisms  5938, 
confirmations  2717,  marriages  2611,  funerals  2560.* 

During  the  closing  years  of  his  life,  Rev.  Herbruck  was 
very  feeble.  For  several  days  before  his  death,  the  end  was 
hourly  expected.  Finally  on  Sunday,  September  22,  1895,  he 
breathed  his  last. 


*  These  figures  were  published  at  the  time  of  Rev.  Herbruck's 
death.  The  author  has  no  means  of  testing  their  accuracy.  There  i» 
considerable  discrepancy  in  the  figures  as  published  at  various  times. 


CLOSING  YEARS  OF  REV  HERBRUCK'S  LIFE  123 

The  funeral  services  were  held  on  the  following  Tuesday. 
Rev.  F.  Strassner,  D.D.,  and  Rev.  S.  C.  Goss,  D.D.,  conducted 
the  services  at  the  home.  The  pallbearers  were  all  ministers 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  namely  John  H.  Beck,  Alf.  G.  Ber- 
key,  N.  A.  Ernst,  S.  G.  Goss,  D.D.,  J.  J.  Lebermann,  D.D.,  and 
J.  P.  Stahl.  From  the  house  the  funeral  cortege  proceeded  to 
the  Trinity  Reformed  Church.  Addresses  were  delivered  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Keller,  D.D.,  president  of  St.  John's  Classis,  Rev. 
E.  R.  Williard,  who  spoke  for  Ohio  Synod  and  Tuscarawas 
Classis,  and  a  representative  of  the  Canton  Ministerial  Federa- 
tion. The  "Canton  Repository"  closed  its  account  of  the  fune- 
ral services  with  the  appropriate  and  sympathetic  words,  "As  a 
preacher  he  had  few  equals,  as  a  pastor  he  was  beloved,  and  as 
a  father  he  was  kind  and  reserved." 

A  little  more  than  two  years  later,  on  November  24,  1897, 
Mrs.  Herbruck  also  was  called  to  her  reward. 

The  faithful  couple  who  had  lived  happily  together  for  a 
period  of  sixty-three  years,  fifty-three  of  which  were  spent  as 
pastor  and  pastor's  wife  of  the  First  Reformed  Church,  now 
lie  buried  side  by  side  in  West  Lawn  Cemetery. 

During  this  period  from  1831-1895  that  Rev.  Herbruck 
was  pastor  in  Canton  he  saw  the  backwoods  village  of  less  than 
2000  population,  without  any  means  of  communication  with 
the  outside  world  except  poorly-kept  dirt  roads,  evolve  into  a 
thriving,  up-to-date,  industrial  center  of  28,000  souls,  with 
three  railroad  systems  giving  perfect  transportation  facilities. 
The  few  shops,  stores  and  mills  of  the  early  days,  securing 
their  supplies  by  wagon  from  Pittsburgh  or  the  Ohio  River,  and 
serving  only  the  immediate  community,  had  been  transformed 
into  a  receiving  and  distributing  center,  sending  the  diversified 
products  of  more  than  two  hundred  manufacturing  plants  into 
all  parts  of  the  world.  The  feeble  congregations  worshiping 
in  humble,  poorly  equipped  buildings  had  grown  to  great  num- 
bers assembling  in  spacious,  comfortable  and  imposing  edifices. 
But  few  men  are  permitted  to  thus  grow  up  with  a  community 
and  witness  its  progressive  evolution. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST 

REV.  John  B.  Rust  at  the  special  request  of  the  author, 
kindly  consented  to  write  the  history  of  his  own  pastorate 
in  Canton.  The  narrative  is  given  as  prepared  by  him.  In 
addition  to  the  story  of  his  work  in  Canton,  he  has  also  woven 
in  many  valuable  historical  incidents  from  the  field  which  he 
previously  served.  As  this  field  once  also  formed  a  part  of 
the  vast  parish  served  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck,  this  addi- 
tional historical  material,  most  of  which  is  not  given  elsewhere 
in  this  book,  is  included. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Rust  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  September  5, 
1856.  His  father,  Rev.  Herman  Rust,  was  pastor  of  the  First 
Reformed  Church  of  Cincinnati  for  twelve  years.  Later  he 
was  called  to  the  "German  Professorship"  in  Heidelberg  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  and  the  "Professorship  of  the  German  Lan- 
guage and  Literature"  in  Heidelberg  College,  Tiffin,  Ohio. 
Young  Rust  attended  the  public  schools  in  Cincinnati  and  Tif- 
fin, and  then  took  the  full  classical  course  in  the  college  and 
seminary,  graduating  in  the  spring  of  1879.  During  the  fol- 
lowing winter  he  began  his  work  as  pastor  of  the  Waynesburg 
charge. 

The  narrative  that  follows  is  given  as  prepared  by  Rev. 
Rust. 

"In  the  winter  of  1879  and  1880  Rev..  J.  B.  Rust  entered 
upon  the  pastorate  of  the  Waynesburg  Charge,  Stark  County, 
Ohio,  about  twelve  miles  south  of  Canton.  This  was  his  first 
field  of  labor.  Rev.  F.  Strassner,  pastor  of  Christ  Reformed 
Church,  in  Orrville,  Ohio,  thought  at  one  time  that  he  would 
assume  the  care  of  the  Waynesburg  charge  himself,  but  after- 
wards changed  his  mind  and  used  his  influence  to  find  a  suit- 
able incumbent  instead,  for  that  charge,  which  consisted  of 
three  congregations,  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church  in  Waynes- 
burg, St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church  in  Mineral  City,  and  the 

124 


REV.   JOHN  B.   RUST,  PH.D.,  D.  D. 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST    125 

Salem's  Church,  Osnaburg  Township.  The  latter  congrega- 
tion was  organized  by  a  group  of  seceders  from  St.  Martin's 
Reformed  Church,  because  they  were  not  permitted  to  hold 
weekly  prayermeetings  in  their  house  of  worship  and  in  their 
homes,  and  aspired  after  a  warmer  and  more  lively  expression 
and  method  of  religious  life.  The  mother-church  refused  to 
befriend  them  and  condemned  their  "Schwaermerei."  In  the 
hope  that  they  might  unite  again  at  some  future  day  with  the 
St.  Martin's  congregation,  they  secured  a  piece  of  ground  large 
enough  for  a  small  church,  and  a  burying  ground  adjoining, 
and  just  as  large  as  the  property  of  the  St.  Martin's  congrega- 
tion. On  that  spot  they  built  a  white  frame  church  large 
enough  to  accommodate  their  membership,  but  for  constitution- 
al reasons  they  organized  as  an  Evangelical  Church  in  the  near- 
by hamlet  of  Mapleton,  and  when  their  house  of  worship  was 
completed,  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  conducted  the  dedicatory 
services,  having  been  invited  to  do  so  because  he  had  offered 
his  assistance  for  a  merely  nominal  gift,  in  order,  if  possible,  to 
guide  the  faithful  flock  back  again  into  the  Reformed  Church. 
Finding  themselves  unable  to  support  a  pastor  independently, 
they  united  with  the  Reformed  congregation  in  Alliance,  and 
were  served  by  the  Rev.  August  C.  F.  Schade,  Ph.D.,  a  gifted 
and  brilliant  German  pulpit  orator,  who,  during  that  time, 
resided  in  Malvern,  a  village  almost  midway  between  the 
Salem's  church  and  Mt.  Union.  Through  the  efforts  and 
direct  instrumentality  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Schade,  the  Salem's  con- 
gregation, on  the  plea  that  they  were  an  Evangelical  church 
knocking  at  the  door  of  the  Reformed  Church  for  admittance, 
were  received  into  the  fellowship  with  the  Central  Synod.  At 
one  time  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust;  the  two  con- 
gregations, largely  under  the  mild  guidance  of  Mr.  Paul  Gei- 
ger,  entered  into  a  compact  of  union,  but  through  uncalled-for, 
unwise,  unjustifiable  remarks  made  by  a  few  shortsighted  per- 
sons, the  noble  plan  was  defeated.  The  two  churches  never 
united  again.  They  did  not  even  become  reconciled,  despite 
the  fact  that  intermarriages  among  the  members  of  those 
organizations  frequently  occurred.  St.  Martin's  Church  was 


126  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

finally  taken  down  and  rebuilt  in  the  village  of  Malvern,  where 
the  congregation  abandoned  the  use  of  the  German  language 
entirely,  and  changed  its  character  and  temperament  through- 
out, until  it  was  finally  dissolved,  because  of  removals  and  loss 
of  support,  as  a  part  of  the  Robertsville  Charge,  which  at  that 
time  consisted  of  the  Malvern,  Robertsville,  and  Paris  church- 
es. Rev.  Dr.  J.  J.  Leberman  organized  the  Robertsville  con- 
gregation, and  served  Paris,  Robertsville,  and  Osnaburg,  in 
connection  with  the  Louisville  church,  for  many  years. 

"Rev.  J.  H.  Klahr,  residing  in  or  near  Navarre,  for  quite  a 
number  of  years  preached  in  Mineral  City  and  Waynesburg. 
In  Waynesburg,  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  people  worshipped 
in  the  same  church,  and  during  the  pastorates  of  Rev.  Klahr, 
and  Rev.  Cronenwirth,  the  latter  a  narrow  and  bigoted  Luth- 
eran, a  conflict  arose  concerning  the  hours  of  worship.  The 
Lutherans  were  the  aggressors,  it  seems,  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  they  periodically,  without  consulting  the  Reformed  pastor 
or  his  consistory,  appropriated  the  Reformed  day  of  service. 
As  a  result  the  ministers  met  at  one  of  these  services  and 
engaged  in  a  hand  to  hand  tussel  for  supremacy.  It  was  the 
Reformed  hour  of  worship.  Rev.  Klahr  had  already  entered 
the  pulpit,  an  old-fashioned  elevated  enclosure,  and  the  gate  in 
the  chancel- rail  was  closed  behind  him.  When  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Cronenwirth  approached,  he  was  beaten  back  and  vanquished 
by  a  liberal  and  forcible  application  of  the  Bible  as  a  weapon 
of  defense  in  the  hands  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Klahr.  The  excite- 
ment was  intense  and  the  scene  a  memorable  one.  The  bad 
odor  of  the  affair  continued  to  cling  to  the  church  for  a  long 
time.  The  incident  led  to  the  withdrawal  of  both  pastors  and 
the  separation  of  the  congregations.  The  case  was  taken  to 
court.  Attorney  C.  M.  Bousch,  of  Meadville,  Pa.,  represented 
the  Reformed  congregation,  and  Mr.  Peter  Sherer  furnished 
the  principal  part  of  the  money.  Mrs.  Reinhardt,  a  leading 
member,  the  mother  of  the  late  Rev.  James  Reinhart,  was  also 
very  helpful.  After  the  Lutherans  failed  in  their  effort  to 
oust  the  remnant  of  Reformed  people  in  and  around  Waynes- 
burg from  their  rightful  interest  in  the  joint  property,  they 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST    127 

disposed  of  their  undivided  half  ownership  in  the  church  and 
grounds  and  erected  a  new  Lutheran  church  on  the  eastern 
border  of  the  village.  Rev.  Klahr  continued  to  preach  in  Min- 
eral Point  for  a  little  while  longer.  At  this  juncture  Rev.  F. 
Strassner  seized  the  reins  of  influence  in  behalf  of  the  charge, 
as  already  stated,  and  planned  to  secure  a  pastor  to  succeed 
Rev.  Klahr.  Ever  since  the  incumbency  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust  as 
pastor  of  the  Waynesburg  Charge,  that  field  of  labor  has  never 
been  vacant  very  long  at  any  time.  During  the  six  happy  and 
prosperous  years  that  Rev.  Rust  spent  in  the  charge,  he  fre- 
quently visited  in  the  home  of  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  in  Canton. 
He  stood  upon  terms  of  close  friendship  with  all  the  immediate 
members  of  the  Herbruck  family.  When  "Father"  Herbruck, 
who  had  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  his  Canton  pas- 
torate, began  to  feel  the  infirmity  of  age,  he  besought  his  son, 
Rev.  Dr.  Emil  P.  Herbruck,  then  in  Akron,  to  assume  the  direc- 
tion of  Jerusalem's  Reformed  congregation,  and  the  people 
without  a  dissenting  voice,  seconded  the  earnest  wishes  of  their 
aged  pastor  by  twice  extending  an  urgent  call  to  his  gifted  son 
in  Akron.  During  one  of  those  visits  he  urged  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust 
to  indicate  his  willingness  to  consider  an  invitation  in  case  he 
should  be  unable  to  respond  to  his  father's  desire.  But,  even 
after  he  had  expressed  his  readiness  from  the  pulpit  to  become 
his  father's  assistant,  and  then  his  successor,  he  finally  declined 
the  call  which  had  been  given  him  by  the  congregation.  Some 
time  later  on,  Father  Herbruck  was  overcome  with  weakness 
one  Sunday  morning  in  the  pulpit,  and  had  to  be  removed  to 
his  home.  His  long  and  faithful  public  service  thus  came  to 
an  end,  and  as  a  result,  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust,  pastor  of  the  Waynes- 
burg  charge,  was  invited  to  preach  a  trial  sermon.  Believing 
and  hoping  that  Father  Herbruck  would  recover  his  strength 
again,  he  offered  to  act  as  his  substitute  for  several  Sundays 
during  the  aged  pastor's  illness.  An  appointment  was  made, 
and  after  the  service  the  consistory  gathered  around  the  visit- 
ing minister,  in  the  church,  and  earnestly  expressed  to  him 
their  desire  that  he  should  become  the  successor  of  Father 
Herbruck.  They  asked  him  if  he  would  give  favorable  con- 


128  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

sideration  to  a  call.  He  answered  in  the  affirmative,  on  the 
one  condition  that  he  be  permitted  also  to  preach  in  the  Eng- 
lish language  in  the  church.  The  members  of  the  consistory, 
among  them  the  lamented  Elder  Frederic  Hipp,  at  once,  with- 
out hesitation  and  most  enthusiastically,  confessed  to  him  the 
absolute  need  of  both  German  and  English  preaching  in  their 
church.  Nevertheless  he  returned  to  Waynesburg  with  the 
solemn  conviction  that  that  large,  conservative  German  con- 
gregation would  never  consent  to  introduce  even  the  limited 
use  of  the  English  language  at  that  juncture  in  their  history. 
A  few  weeks  later  the  call  was  actually  received,  and  the  young 
minister  found  himself  at  the  parting  of  the  ways.  The  call 
came  during  a  canvass  of  the  Waynesburg  charge  by  Henry 
Leonard,  "The  Fisherman,"  in  the  interest  of  Heidelberg  Col- 
lege, and  that  good  brother,  for  a  number  of  cogent  reasons 
named  by  him,  pleaded  with  the  Waynesburg  pastor  not  to  ac- 
cept the  call,  but  to  remain  unquestioningly  in  the  quiet,  unos- 
tentatious, more  peaceful  and  less  hazardous  country  parish. 
"The  Fisherman's"  advice  was  listened  to  with  respectful  atten- 
tion and  the  Canton  call  accepted.  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust  moved  to 
Canton  by  wagon  overland  in  December  1885,  and  located  in 
rooms  in  the  home  of  Mrs.  Susan  Deuble,  a  widowed  sister  of 
Rev.  Peter  Herbruck,  who  lived  at  No.  92  North  Market  Street. 
The  late  Rev.  Jacob  Dahlmann,  D.D.,  of  Akron,  Ohio,  preached 
the  installation  sermon,  and  Rev.  Frederick  Strasser,  D.D.,  of 
Orrville,  Ohio,  conducted  the  installation,  on  Tuesday  even- 
ing, January  19,  1886. 

"When  Father  Herbruck  came  to  Stark  County,  Canton 
was  a  mere  village.  One  day  during  a  visit  in  the  Herbruck 
home,  while  he  was  still  pastor  of  the  church,  Father  Herbruck 
took  Rev.  Rust  with  him  in  his  buggy,  to  make  a  series  of  pas- 
toral calls  in  the  western  part  of  the  city,  and  pointed  out  the 
spot  to  him,  along  West  Tuscarawas  Street,  just  opposite  the 
Dueber-Hampden  buildings,  where  he,  as  a  stripling  of  seven- 
teen years,  fresh  from  Germany,  and  unable  to  find  employ- 
ment in  Canton,  sat  down  under  a  tree,  homeless  and  alone, 
apparently  forsaken  by  everyone,  and  wept  in  sorrow  and 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST    129 

hopelessness.  A  farmer,  on  his  return  from  the  village,  found 
him  there,  sitting  under  the  tree,  took  him  home,  and  gave  him 
food  and  shelter.  Not  long  after  this  event  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust,  who  induced  him  to 
enter  upon  the  work  of  parochial  school  teaching  in  Canton, 
and  to  prepare  himself  for  the  Gospel  ministry. 

"Rev.  Mahnenschmidt  and  Rev.  Sonnendecker  occasionally 
preached  for  the  Reformed  people,  but  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust 
was  the  first  Reformed  pastor  who  resided  in  Canton.  The 
first  resident  Lutheran  minister  is  said  to  have  been  Rev.  An- 
thony Weyer.  Rev.  Faust  became  associated  with  the  church 
in  1818.  The  Lutheran  and  Reformed  people  worshipped  in 
the  same  church,  the  old  frame  building  in  West  Tuscarawas 
Street,  until  1823,  and  in  the  new  brick  church  until  1862. 
Rev.  Faust  became  seriously  afflicted  with  bronchial  trouble, 
and  was  compelled  to  retire  from  the  active  ministry.  He  died 
in  1832  and  his  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  God's  Acre  imme- 
diately back  of  the  present  Reformed  church  edifice.  When 
Rev.  Faust  could  not  longer  minister  to  the  congregation,  Rev. 
Peter  Herbruck,  not  yet  twenty  years  old,  was  instructed  to 
take  full  charge  of  the  church.  For  a  long  time,  as  necessity 
demanded,  in  view  of  the  condition  of  the  period,  Lutheran 
and  Reformed  pastors  served  the  adherents  of  both  confes- 
sions interchangeably,  in  neighborhoods  in  which  it  was  im- 
possible at  that  early  day,  to  gather  sufficient  support  for  sep- 
arate pastoral  service.  A  little  later  on  in  the  history  of  the 
country,  union  churches  were  erected  conjointly  by  the  Luth- 
eran and  Reformed  people  in  country  districts  and  village  cen- 
ters. Father  Herbruck  therefore  in  a  number  of  instances 
gave  catechetical  instruction  to  Lutheran  and  Reformed  chil- 
dren, and  organized  his  classes  accordingly.  He  used  both 
Luther's  smaller  catechism  and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  in 
response  to  the  demands  of  the  time,  and  the  request  of  the 
parents.  Finally  the  increase  of  population,  the  growth  of 
denominational  strength  and  needs,  the  language  problem  and 
other  causes,  called  in  a  new  era,  in  which  the  so-called  union 
church  was  gradually  abandoned,  and  the  distinctively  denom- 
9 


130  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

inational  churches  began  to  be  built,  to  escape  all  the  evils  and 
to  avoid  all  the  half-hearted  compromises  associated  with  the 
union  church.  This'  occurred  also  in  Canton.  In  1860  the 
Reformed  congregation  withdrew  from  the  union  and  erected 
their  own  church  on  the  west  corner  of  the  block  of  lots  in 
East  Tuscarawas  Street,  where  the  two  churches  still  stand. 
Mr.  Conrad  Schweitzer,  Sr.,  liberally  supported  this  enterprise. 
Rev.  John  Baptist  Uhlmann,  rector  of  St.  Peter's  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church,  manifested  warm  interest  in  the  erection  of  the 
Reformed  church,  and  gave  valuable  suggestions  on  the  subject 
of  church  architecture  to  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck.  Born  in  Con- 
stance, Baden,  February  19,  1804,  and  ordained  by  Archbishop 
Bernard  Boll,  September  17,  1828,  he  came  to  America  from 
the  Diocese  of  Freiburg  to  escape  the  disturbances  of  the  Revo- 
lution of  1848,  and  by  Bishop  Rappe  was  appointed  pastor  of 
St.  Joseph's  Catholic  Church  in  Tiffin,  Ohio.  In  May  1856 
he  was  transferred  to  St.  Peter's  Church,  Canton,  Ohio.  In 
June  1864  he  was  sent  to  St.  Mary's  Church,  Sandusky,  where 
he  remained  until  July  1865,  when  he  left  the  Cleveland  dio- 
cese to  return  to  his  native  land.  He  died  at  Bonndorf ,  Baden, 
February  18,  1882.  Father  Uhlmann  was  a  man  of  deep  and 
varied  learning  and  an  eloquent  pulpit  orator.  When  he  left 
Canton,  he  presented  Father  Herbruck  w.ith  a  complete  set  of 
the  sermons  of  the  great  German  Evangelical  preacher,  Franz 
Volkmar  Reinhard.  Father  Herbruck  often  spoke  kindly  of 
Father  Uhlmann  to  the  writer  of  this  sketch.  He  revered  the 
memory  of  the  man  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

"At  an  earlier  day  Father  Herbruck  periodically  held  serv- 
ices at  a  great  many  outlying  points,  ministering  to  the  spiritual 
needs  of  the  scattered  and  primitive  communities  of  that  day. 
He  preached  in  Paris,  Osnaburg,  New  Berlin,  Bethlehem, 
Georgetown,  Cairo,  Uniontown,  Carrollton,  and  other  points. 
Many  of  his  journeys  were  made  on  foot.  He  walked  all  the 
way  from  Canton  to  Carrollton  every  four  or  six  weeks,  on 
Saturday,  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles,  preached  on  Sunday, 
and  on  the  following  Monday  walked  back  to  Canton.  The 
people  paid  $15  annually  toward  his  support.  They  were  poor, 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  REV.  JOHN  B.  RUST    131 

and  money  was  scarce.  Thus  at  great  personal  sacrifice  and 
amidst  trying  conditions,  he  served  his  Master  by  the  labor  he 
performed  to  extend  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Finally  when  the 
congregation  in  Canton  became  so  large  that  it  taxed  all  his 
powers  and  energy  to  meet  the  needs  of  so  many  people,  he 
withdrew  from  the  country  charges  and  devoted  himself  wholly 
to  the  Canton  field." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  J.  B.  RUST 

THE  field  into  which  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust  entered  in  January, 
1886  was  not  strewn  with  roses.  After  a  congregation 
has  become  inured  for  fifty-three  and  one-half  years  to  one 
pastor  it  has  become  so  thoroughly  fixed  in  its  traditions  and 
ideals  that  a  new  pastor  would  find  many  problems  waiting  to 
be  solved.  Rev.  Herbruck  had  always  conducted  the  affairs 
of  the  congregation  in  a  manner  rather  independent  of  the 
judicatories  of  the  church;  while  the  new  pastor  was  zealous 
for  "the  principles  of  good  order,  and  the  provisions  of  the 
constitution  of  the  Reformed  Church." 

Four  things  stand  out  most  prominently  in  this  pastorate 
of  nearly  four  years : 

First.  A  roll  of  the  members  was  made  and  put  on  record 
for  the  first  time.  The  nominal  members  of  the  congregation 
were  scattered  all  over  Stark  County.  Multitudes  claimed  to 
be  members  who  never  'attended  a  service  or  contributed  any- 
thing to  the  support  of  the  church.  Hundreds  communed  at 
Easter-time  who  were  never  seen  again  until  the  next  Easter. 
Rev.  Herbruck  had  kept  no  written  church-roll.  It  had  been 
his  custom  to  carry  the  roll  in  his  memory.  The  last  report 
which  he  made  to  Classis  mentioned  600  members.  This  figure 
did  not  stand  for  individuals  who  could  be  relied  upon,  but 
rather  represented  an  estimate  of  the  number  who  claimed  to 
be  members.  The  first  task  to  which  the  new  pastor  and  the 
consistory  addressed  themselves  was  the  drawing  up  of  a  writ- 
ten roll.  "The  names  and  addresses  of  all  the  members  of  the 
congregation,  individuals,  and  families,  parents  and  children, 
were  secured  and  duly  registered  in  a  church-book,  or  record." 
Unfortunately  many  who  had  long  before  forfeited  every  claim 
to  membership,  when  approached,  blithely  said :  Why,  sure,  we 
are  members  of  the  First  Reformed  Church.  During  the  sub- 

132 


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3  a  O 

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O    o  ^ 


§  a.  w 
I  !  cj 

!!§ 

f  °  * 

r 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  J.  B.  RUST  133 

sequent  years  many  of  the  "dead  branches"  who  had  thus  got 
on  the  roll  had  to  be  lopped  off. 

Secondly.  English  was  introduced.  Rev.  Rust  had  re- 
fused to  consider  a  call  to  Canton  unless  English  should  be 
introduced.  "The  members  of  the  consistory  at  once,  and  most 
enthusiastically  confessed  to  him  the  absolute  need  of  both  Ger- 
man and  English  preaching  in  their  church."  For  half  a  century 
the  First  Reformed  Church  had  been  a  feeder  for  the  other 
churches  of  Canton,  and  for  fifteen  years,  scores  had  been 
obliged  to  transfer  to  Trinity  Reformed  Church  on  account  of 
the  language.  The  new  pastor  soon  introduced  English  even- 
ing services.  "This  forward  step  was  taken  without  friction 
or  misgiving,  because  all  the  members  of  the  congregation  fully 
realized  the  need  of  it  in  order  that  the  young  people,  who  pre- 
ferred the  English,  might  be  given  a  more  potent  reason  to 
show  their  continued  loyalty  to  the  church." 

Thirdly.  An  advanced  temperance  position  was  taken. 
The  traditions  and  habits  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  mem- 
bership were  decidedly  "wet."  The  innocuous  nature  of  the 
temperance  resolutions  which  had  sometimes  been  passed  by 
the  consistory  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  the  church  har- 
bored a  score  of  saloon-keepers  as  members.  The  "wet  breth- 
ren" vociferously  declared  themselves  in  favor  of  "temperance 
according  to  the  Scriptures."  This  phrase  was  interpreted  as 
meaning  full  liberty  to  drink  spirituous  liquor  when  not  car- 
ried to  gross  excess.  Rev.  Rust  broke  a  brave  lance  with  this 
"bunch"  as  he  describes  later  in  this  chapter.  His  courageous 
stand  aroused  tremendous  opposition,  but  by  faithful  reasoning 
from  the  Scriptures,  he  "allayed  the  storm,  silenced  the  objec- 
tors, converted  blind  and  angry  opposition  into  sense  and  rea- 
son, and  ushered  in  the  dawn  of  a  better  era  in  the  congrega- 
tion in  relation  to  consistent  Christian  conduct." 

Fourthly.  The  church  property  was  improved.  An  addi- 
tion was  built  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  so  that  the  organ 
which  had  been  in  the  gallery  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  could 
be  placed  in  front  of  the  audience.  The  instrument  was  also 
impoved.  The  alterations  cost  more  than  $3000. 


134  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

The  detailed  narrative  of  these  events  will  now  be  given 
in  Rev.  Rust's  own  words: 

"Rev.  John  B.  Rust  succeeded  Rev.  Herbruck  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1885,  in  response  to  the  united  action  of  the  congre- 
gation, and  the  fraternal  endorsement  of  the  aged  pastor. 
Father  Herbruck,  when  this  change  came,  had  served  the  con- 
gregation for  fifty-three  years  and  six  months.  Very  few  pas- 
tors thus  far  in  the  history  of  Ohio  have  enjoyed  so  unusual 
a  blessing  and  experienced  so  great  an  honor.  In  view  of  this 
fact  it  proved  to  be  a  difficult  undertaking,  both  for  the  new 
pastor  and  for  the  church,  to  take  up  duties,  responsibilities 
and  burdens  which  had  been  fulfilled  and  borne  with  unfailing 
constancy  for  so  many  years  by  Father  Herbruck,  trained  to 
the  task  by  ripe  experience.  During  his  term  of  service,  Fath- 
er Herbruck  baptized,  confirmed,  and  married  thousands  of 
persons,  and  thus  in  the  course  of  time  gathered  around  him 
one  of  the  largest  congregations  in  the  German  wing  of  the 
Reformed  Church  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  But  the 
record  of  all  this  work  was  incomplete.  At  least  the  incom- 
ing pastor  could  not  find  any  data  to  help  him.  During  the 
Easter  services,  for  example,  people  came  to  the  church  to 
receive  Holy  Communion,  who  claimed  to  belong  to  the  con- 
gregation, and  yet  were  seldom  or  never  seen  in  the  church  at 
any  other  time.  They  had  the  idea  that  if  they  'made  their 
Easter'  their  obligation  to  God  and  His  Church  was  discharged, 
and  the  faithful  few  could  attend  to  the  balance.  Therefore 
the  new  pastor  and  the  consistory  inaugurated  a  plan  by  which 
the  names  and  addresses  of  all  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, individuals  and  families,  parents  and  children,  were  se- 
cured and  duly  registered  in  a  church-book,  or  record,  pur- 
chased for  the  purpose.  The  congregation  was  not  'reorg- 
anized' as  some  supposed,  but  simply  placed  upon  record  as 
completely  as  possible,  in  obedience  to  the  principle  of  good 
order  and  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Reformed 
Church. 

"Near  the  beginning  of  the  new  pastorate  an  improvement 
was  made  in  the  church  edifice  by  the  erection  of  a  suitable 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  J.  B.  RUST  135 

extension  at  the  rear  of  the  auditorium  for  the  pipe-organ,  and 
to  accommodate  the  choir  back  of  the  pulpit  platform,  which 
was  enlarged  and  built  further  out  into  the  body  of  the  church, 
to  overcome  an  unfortunate  and  trouble-some  echo.  An  organ- 
tuner  from  Pittsburgh  had  charge  of  the  work  of  removing 
the  organ  from  the  choir-loft  to  the  new  place  provided  for  it. 
The  improvement  cost  the  congregation  somewhat  over  three 
thousand  dollars. 

"A  little  while  before  this  alteration  was  made,  on  a  dark 
and  dreary  Sunday,  a  young  man,  who  was  closely  allied  with 
several  Swiss  singing  societies,  especially  the  Griitli  Verein,  and 
who  had  frequently  taken  part,  with  his  fine  tenor  voice,  in 
the  singing  of  the  choir,  came  to  the  altar-railing  immediately 
after  the  close  of  the  service  and  asked  for  an  interview  with 
the  pastor.  At  the  conference  after  dinner  in  the  pastor's 
study  the  man  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to  prepare  for  the 
Gospel  ministry.  He  had  entertained  the  desire  for  a  number 
of  years,  but  the  opportunity  to  realize  it  had  never  been  pre- 
sented to  him.  He  had  taught  school  in  the  old  country,  and 
officiated  at  funerals.  He  was  a  sculptor  by  trade.  He  be- 
longed to  an  excellent  Swiss  family.  His  avocation,  however, 
at  that  time  was  not  in  keeping  with  his  call  to  the  ministry. 
He  promised  to  give  up  all  and  follow  Christ.  He  entered 
Calvin  College  in  Cleveland,  and  when  that  school  was  by  syn- 
odic action  forbidden  to  teach  theology,  he  moved  to  Tiffin 
with  his  family,  and  entered  the  Heidelberg  Theological  Sem- 
inary. He  carried  with  him  most  excellent  grades  in  scholar- 
ship, both  in  German  and  French,  won  in  the  schools  of  Swit- 
zerland. His  father  became  an  elder  in  the  Second  Reformed 
Church  in  Tiffin,  and  loyally  supported  the  cause  of  Christ  in 
the  community.  He  was  a  skillful  wood-carver,  and  made  all 
the  emblems  for  the  new  church  when  the  present  house  of 
worship  was  built.  The  son,  after  having  served  the  Reformed 
Church  in  two  German-English  parishes,  in  one  of  which, 
Berne,  Indiana,  he  built  a  beautiful  church,  was  called  to  the 
superintendency  of  the  Orphans'  Home  in  Ft.  Wayne,  and  with 
the  help  of  his  noble  companion,  his  wife,  managed  the  affairs 


136  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

of  that  institution  with  eminent  and  unusual  success  for  many 
years.  The  two  oldest  daughters  married  ministers,  and  the 
youngest  of  them,  a  graduate  of  Heidelberg  University,  is  the 
wife  of  a  teacher  by  profession.  One  of  the  sons,  also  a  grad- 
uate of  Heidelberg  University,  and  of  the  Central  Theological 
Seminary  in  Dayton,  is  at  present  a  successful  pastor  in  Ohio. 
It  was  worth  while  going  to  Canton  to  find  the  Rev.  Berchtold 
Ruf  and  his  family. 

"During  the  earlier  part  of  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  B. 
Rust,  prominent  members  of  the  "Law  and  Order  League" 
called  to  see  him  and  invited  him  to  speak  at  one  of  their  early 
spring  meetings  in  the  City  Hall  in  defense  of  Sabbath  observ- 
ance in  the  summer  months.  The  travel  to  Meyer's  and  Con- 
gress Lakes  seriously  affected  church  attendance  and  interrupt- 
ed the  growth  of  true  Christian  life  in  Canton.  He  counselled 
with  his  friend  and  neighbor,  Mr.  George  Deuble,  the  organist 
of  the  church,  and  a  son-in-law  of  Father  Herbruck,  who  ad- 
vised the  minister  to  attend  the  meeting,  but  admonished  him 
to  be  prudent.  The  address  before  the  "Law  and  Order 
League,"  in  which  the  open  Sunday  saloon  was  named  as  one 
of  the  chief  causes  of  Sabbath  desecration,  aroused  great 
excitement  and  animosity  in  the  congregation,  with  which 
about  twenty  saloon-keepers  were  connected.  A  spy  who  had 
been  present  at  the  Law  and  Order  meeting,  in  his  enthusiastic 
attachment  to  the  cause  of  "personal  liberty,"  exaggerated  the 
conservative  attitude,  at  that  juncture,  of  the  Reformed  pastor, 
who  ere  long  discovered  that  the  Prohibitionists  in  the  League 
were  also  displeased  with  him,  because  he  had  not  been  radical 

enough  for  them  in  denouncing  the  liquor  traffic.     Mr.  T. , 

a  member  of  the  consistory  at  that  time,  probably  by  uninten- 
tional misrepresentation,  called  forth  a  storm  of  protest  in  the 
congregation,  and  made  a  rather  drastic  word-attack  upon  the 
pastor  himself.  The  women  of  the  church,  however,  loyally 
supported  the  minister  and  justified  and  defended  his  action. 
Two  weeks  later  he  preached  a  sermon  on  law  and  order,  and 
in  honor  of  the  Lord's  Day,  to  a  congregation  that  filled  every 
available  seat  in  the  church  and  numbered  not  less  than  nine 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  J.  B.  RUST  137 

hundred  or  a  thousand  people.  The  courageous  presentation 
of  the  truth,  on  the  basis  of  Holy  Scripture,  allayed  the  storm, 
silenced  the  objectors,  converted  blind  and  angry  opposition 
into  sense  and  reason,  and  ushered  in  the  dawn  of  a  better  era 
in  the  congregation  in  relation  to  consistent  Christian  conduct. 
Like  the  Battle  of  Blenheim:  'It  was  a  famous  victory.' 

"Religious  service  in  the  English  language  on  every  Sun- 
day evening  was  introduced  without  delay  soon  after  the  open- 
ing of  the  new  pastorate.  This  forward  step  was  taken  with- 
out friction  or  misgiving,  because  all  the  members  of  the  con- 
gregation fully  realized  the  need  of  it  in  order  that  the  young 
people,  who  preferred  the  English,  might  be  given  a  more 
potent  reason  to  show  their  continued  loyalty  to  the  church. 

"The  temporary  impairment  of  his  health,  which  made  it 
impossible  for  him  to  attend  properly  to  the  duties  of  so  large 
a  congregation,  numbering  seven  hundred  and  fifty  (750)  com- 
municants at  that  time,  and  about  four  hundred  (400)  pupils 
and  teachers  in  the  Sunday  school,  led  the  pastor,  Rev.  J.  B. 
Rust,  to  hand  in  his  resignation  on  July  14,  1889,  with  heart- 
felt regret.  This  important  step  was  unavoidable  in  the  Prov- 
idence of  God.  In  the  month  of  September,  1889,  he  quietly 
withdrew  from  the  field,  and  for  one  whole  year  retired  from 
active  parish  work  and  responsibility,  until,  called  to  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  New  Philadelphia  in  the  Autumn  of  1890, 
as  the  successor  of  the  late  Rev.  O.  J.  Accola,  D.D.  This 
closes  the  account,  in  the  main,  of  the  transitional  pastorate  of 
the  Rev.  J.  B.  Rust,  Ph.D.,  in  Canton,  Ohio,  the  third  pastor  in 
the  history  of  Jerusalem's  Reformed  Congregation." 

Rev.  Rust  remained  in  New  Philadelphia  eight  years.  Dur- 
ing that  time  the  congregation  erected  a  beautiful  and  spacious 
church  which  is  a  credit  both  to  the  congregation  and  the  com- 
munity. 

After  a  further  brief  pastorate  of  one  and  one-half  years 
of  the  Robertsville  charge,  Rev.  Rust  resigned,  and  removed 
to  Tiffin  in  1899  where  he  has  lived  ever  since.  During  this 
period  he  has  served  the  Bascom  charge  in  Seneca  County  for 


138  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

nine  years,  and  then  became  "delegated  pastor"  of  the  Findlay 
congregation. 

Dr.  Rust  has  been  a  frequent  contributor  on  historical  and 
theological  subjects  to  the  "Christian  World,"  the  "Reformed 
Church  Messenger,"  and  the  "Reformed  Church  Review."  He 
is  the  author  of  a  three-hundred  and  fifty  page  book  entitled 
"Modernism  and  the  Reformation,"  published  in  1914,  and 
"The  Life  and  Labors  of  Dr.  Herman  Rust,"  published  in  1916. 
He  has  also  delivered  series  of  lectures  in  Heidelberg  College 
on  "Comparative  Religion"  and  "The  History  of  Music." 

As  pastor  of  the  Canton  charge,  Rev.  Rust  was  confronted 
by  a  series  of  difficult  and  ugly  questions  and  problems  which 
were  handled  with  peculiar  ability  and  fearlessness.  His  name 
is  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  a  large  number  of  members 
who  are  still  faithful  adherents  of  the  Canton  Reformed 
Church. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  LIFE  AND  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK 
STRASSNER,  D.D. 

SIX  weeks  after  the  close  of  Rev.  Rust's  pastorate,  the  con- 
gregation extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Frederick  Strassner, 
D.D.,  then  serving  the  Christ  Reformed  Church  in  Orrville.  A 
salary  of  $1000  a  year  was  promised  him,  but  as  the  parsonage 
had  not  yet  been  erected,  the  pastor  had  also  to  pay  the  rent 
out  of  this. 

On  January  1,  1890,  the  new  minister  was  installed.  He 
was  a  man  ripe  in  experience  and  service,  who  could  look  back 
upon  more  than  thirty  years  of  successful  pastoral  activity. 
Before  presenting  the  chief  events  of  his  Canton  pastorate,  a 
brief  sketch  of  his  previous  life  and  work  will  be  given.  A  few 
years  before  his  death,  Dr.  Strassner  wrote  a  rather  full  ac- 
count of  his  early  life,  intended  for  his  children.  This  account 
was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  writer,  and  will  be  freely  used. 
The  facts  and  quotations  that  follow  are  all  taken  from  this 
narrative. 

Rev.  Frederick  Strassner  was  born  on  February  22,  1831, 
in  the  city  of  Bremen  in  Germany,  of  pious  Reformed  ancestry. 

He  was  the  thirteenth  child  in  a  family  of  fifteen.  Of  his 
mother  he  declared,  "She  was  always  happy.  The  prayers  she 
taught  us  children  were  not  in  vain.  Well  do  I  remember  them 
yet,  they  were  the  means  of  leading  me  nearer  to  God."  He 
attended  the  parochial  school  of  his  native  city,  was  confirmed 
at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  became  an  apprentice  to  a  fresco 
painter. 

When  seventeen  years  of  age  a  severe  attack  of  ague 
which  would  not  yield  to  medical  application,  took  hold  of  him. 
A  change  of  climate  was  recommended.  A  married  sister  and 
brother  had  emigrated  to  America  and  urged  the  parents  to 
send  him  too.  Accordingly  in  1848,  he  started  for  America  in 
a  sailing  vessel,  as  all  the  friends  and  relatives  agreed  that  this 

139 


140  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

was  much  safer  than  taking  a  steamship,  because  only  so  could 
he  "avoid  the  danger  of  fire  on  the  ocean." 

The  English  vessel  on  which  he  embarked  required  sixty 
days  to  make  the  trip  to  New  Orleans,  and  young  Strassner 
being  an  apt  student,  spent  much  of  his  time  in  acquiring  a 
working  knowledge  of  English.  One  of  the  ship's  crew,  an 
Irishman,  took  much  interest  in  the  youth  and  acted  as  his 
teacher.  The  consequence  was  that  his  early  English  had  a 
very  decided  Irish  brogue. 

His  fellow  passengers  "were  mostly  fugitives  who  had 
participated  in  the  revolution  of  1848  and  were  happy  to  have 
escaped  the  clutches  of  the  German  government.  They  gave 
vent  to  their  joy  by  singing  and  dancing."  The  journey  was 
uneventful  with  the  exception  of  a  near-tragedy ;  for  one  day 
"the  vessel  ran  between  two  great  rocks  hidden  from  the  sur- 
face. The  shock  and  grinding  noise  were  very  perceptible. 
There  was  a  great  commotion  and  the  faces  were  blanched. 
Prayer  books  were  in  great  demand  and  the  knees  were  bent." 
However,  the  boat  got  off  safely,  having  sustained  but  slight 
injury,  and  favored  by  calm  weather  the  journey  continued  to 
its  destination.  After  their  fright,  however,  "there  was  no 
more  dancing  or  foolish  talking  and  jesting,  and  all  were  anx- 
ious to  land  on  solid  ground."  After  landing  at  New  Orleans 
a  further  journey  of  six  days  up  the  Mississippi  River  was 
required  to  reach  St.  Louis,  where  his  sister  lived. 

The  next  years  were  spent  in  working  at  the  carpenter's 
trade  and  acquiring  a  better  knowledge  of  English.  From  St. 
Louis,  young  Strassner  then  went  to  Cincinnati  and  there,  to 
his  great  joy,  found  a  little  Reformed  mission  whose  pastor 
was  Rev.  Herman  Rust,  who  influenced  young  Strassner  to 
give  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Rev.  Herman  Rust 
was  the  father  of  the  Rev'd  J.  B.  Rust,  who  later  became  suc- 
cessor to  Rev.  Herbruck  as  pastor  of  the  Canton  church.  Of 
his  experiences  in  Cincinnati,  Rev.  Strassner  says,  "I  had  now 
found  a  church-home  and  entered  heart  and  soul  into  spiritual 
labor.  Later  I  was  overcome  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  my  con- 
viction was  plain  that  I  must  enter  the  ministry.  My  mind 


LIFE  AND  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  F.  STRASSNER,  D.D.   141 

was  so  much  engaged  in  this  new  revelation  that  I  was  hin- 
dered in  my  daily  occupation." 

He  yielded  to  this  revelation  and  determined  to  prepare 
for  the  ministry.  Largely  by  his  own  efforts  he  worked  his 
way  through  Franklin  and  Marshall  College  at  Lancaster,  Pa., 
and  later  entered  the  theological  seminary  at  Mercersburg,  Pa.* 
While  studying  at  Mercersburg  he  also  acted  as  assistant  to 
Rev.  Geo.  Wolff,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Paradise  charge.  One 
experience  during  this  time  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the 
young  theological  student,  for  he  describes  it  in  full:  "Dr. 
Wolff  asked  me  one  day  to  ride  his  big  black  horse,  a  frisky 
animal.  I  had  no  experience  with  horses;  but  took  my  first 
lesson.  A  woman  with  a  big  clothes  basket  was  met  on  the 
road,  and  the  horse  would  not  pass.  In  the  struggle,  the  saddle 
turned  and  I  hung  on  the  side,  holding  the  reins  while  the 
horse  was  running  full  speed.  So  I  jumped  in  front  of  the 
horse  to  stop  him.  He  jumped  over  me,  taking  off  part  of  my 
coat-tail.  In  due  time,  however,  I  returned  the  horse." 

After  completing  his  course  of  study  at  Mercersburg,  he 
was  licensed  by  Susquehanna  Classis  in  1859,  and  immediately 
began  missionary  work  in  Lucern  County.  From  Wilkes- 
Barre  as  a  center  he  served  a  number  of  congregations  in  the 
famous  Wyoming  Valley.f  Five  years  were  spent  with  much 
success  in  this  pioneer  work.  At  first  the  young  theologue 
attempted  to  cook  his  own  meals  or  "board  around."  This 
proved  thoroughly  unsatisfactory,  and  he  decided  to  found  a 
home  of  his  own.  His  heart  had  already  chosen,  but  his  cour- 
age was  small.  "Then  I  appealed  to  her  pastor.  The  answer 
was  favorable."  A  most  happy  marriage  speedily  followed. 

After  leaving  Wilkes-Barre,  Rev.  Strassner  served  the 
following  charges  in  Ohio:  Berwick,  three  years;  Lancaster, 
two  years ;  Union  charge  near  Lancaster,  three  years ;  Orr- 


*  Mercersburg  Theological  Seminary  was  removed  to  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  in  1871  and  is  now  known  as  the  Lancaster  or  Eastern  Theological 
Seminary. 

t  Wilkes-Barre  was  also  the  first  field  of  labor  of  Rev.  Theodore 
P.  Bolliger,  who  spent  nearly  five  years  there. 


142  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ville,  eighteen  years ;  Canton,  First  Church,  six  years ;  Canton, 
Grace  Church,  ten  years. 

During  the  six  years'  pastorate  of  Rev.  Strassner,  the 
First  Church  made  a  number  of  very  decided  advances. 

The  first  work  undertaken  was  the  building  of  a  parson- 
age. The  Strassner  family  moved  from  Orrville  in  March, 
and  on  April  25  ground  was  broken  for  the  parsonage.  The 
building  committee  consisted  of  Rev.  Strassner,  Jacob  Schwin- 
gle  and  John  Class.  The  contract  was  let  for  $1939.  The 
congregation  raised  by  subscriptions  $480,  the  Ladies'  Aid  So- 
ciety promised  $100,  in  addition,  and  $1500  had  to  be  borrowed. 
The  house  was  ready  for  occupancy  by  the  end  of  September. 
The  entire  cost  of  the  building  including  levelling  off  of  the 
ground,  walks,  sewer,  etc.,  was  $2002. 

The  second  important  work  was  the  revising  of  the  roll 
of  members.  As  has  been  stated  in  previous  chapters  it  had 
been  the  custom  of  Father  Herbruck  to  carry  the  church-roll 
around  "in  his  head" ;  but  this  was  of  no  help  to  his  successor. 
Rev.  Rust  aided  by  the  consistory  at  once  began  the  task  of 
putting  those  who  claimed  membership  on  record.  So  many 
of  these  nominal  members  refused  to  perform  the  most  elemen- 
tary duties  of  church  members,  that  the  work  of  sifting  the 
chaff  from  the  wheat  had  to  be  faithfully  taken  up.  This  work 
had  already  begun  under  Rev.  Rust,  and  was  carried  to  com- 
pletion by  Rev.  Strassner.  Fifteen  months  after  his  pastorate 
began,  the  number  had  been  reduced  from  743  nominal  mem- 
bers to  436  actual  members.  From  these  statistics  it  would 
appear  that  the  sifting  out  process  was  vigorously  and  zealous- 
ly carried  through. 

Third.  A  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor 
was  organized  June  1,  1890.  This  was  one  of  the  earliest  so- 
cieties in  the  Reformed  Church  in  Ohio.  It  gave  invaluable 
training  to  a  host  of  the  young  people  of  the  church,  and  has 
aided  in  developing  some  of  the  most  active  workers  that  the 
congregation  has  had.  In  1894,  a  Junior  Society  was  also 
organized  and  gathered  in  about  sixty  of  the  Juniors.  The 
organization  of  these  societies  so  long  ago  by  Rev.  Strassner 


LIFE  AND  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  F.  STRASSNER,  D.D.   143 

speaks  very  highly  for  his  spiritual  vision  and  understanding 
of  the  needs  of  the  young  people  under  his  pastoral  care. 

Fourth.  The  Reformed  Church  Hymnal  was  introduced 
in  1893,  and  was  ordered  to  be  used  in  all  the  worship  of  the 
congregation.  The  Hymnal  superseded  various  collections  of 
Gospel  songs  and  ditties  that  had  been  in  use  at  the  English 
services. 

Fifth.  The  work  of  the  consistory  was  made  more  effec- 
tive by  the  organization  of  committees  to  which  were  entrusted 
specific  phases  of  congregational  activities.  The  principal 
committees  created  under  this  plan  were:  Membership,  Sick 
and  Charity,  Music,  Sunday  School,  Prayer  Meeting,  Offer- 
ings, and  Ushers. 

The  death  of  Mrs.  M.  A.  Behmer,  which  occurred  on  Eas- 
ter morning,  April  14,  1895,  should  also  be  recorded  as  one  of 
the  noteworthy  events  of  Rev.  Strassner's  pastorate;  for  this 
aged  mother  in  Israel,  whose  life  was  full  of  faith  and  good 
works,  is  the  only  member  of  the  congregation  who  has  ever 
left  a  legacy  of  which  the  church  was  the  beneficiary.  She 
gave  $1975  to  the  local  church  and  $2000  to  various  institutions 
and  benevolences  of  the  denomination.  May  her  noble  exam- 
ple stimulate  to  imitation ! 

The  last  year  of  Rev.  Strassner's  pastorate  was  filled  with 
trying  experiences.  A  certain  portion  of  the  congregation  was 
becoming  dissatisfied  and  did  not  hide  their  sentiments ;  sever- 
al members  elected  into  the  consistory  refused  to  serve ;  many 
requests  to  be  dismissed  to  the  Trinity  Reformed  Church  were 
made.  The  consistory  and  pastor  both  finally  realized  that  a 
continued  successful  ministry  was  not  to  be  expected,  and 
therefore  they  accepted  the  pastor's  resignation  on  January  5, 
1896.  Rev.  Strassner  continued  his  labors  until  after  Easter 
of  that  year  so  that  the  youth  under  instructions  might  yet  be 
confirmed.  The  pastorate  terminated  on  May  1. 

In  spite  of  this  troubled  ending,  Rev.  Strassner's  pastor- 
ate as  a  whole  must  be  accounted  as  largely  blessed  and  suc- 
cessful. Two  hundred  and  nineteen  members  were  added  to 
the  Church  by  confirmation  alone.  The  Sunday  School  enroll- 


144  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ment  increased  from  300  to  480.  The  gifts  for  benevolence 
grew  from  an  annual  average  of  $107  during  the  previous  pas- 
torate to  an  average  of  $197,  not  counting  the  large  individual 
gift  of  Mrs.  Behmer  in  figuring  this  average  but  only  the  nor- 
mal congregational  offerings.  The  average  annual  contribu- 
tions for  congregational  purposes  increased  from  $1536  to 
$2559.  One  of  the  reasons  alleged  for  dissatisfaction  with  the 
pastor  was  that  he  preached  too  many  "financial  sermons,"  and 
urged  the  "grace  of  giving"  too  insistently.  A  comparison  of 
the  number  of  members  with  their  gifts  will  prove  that  only 
heroic  methods  could  possibly  have  answered.  The  marked 
musical  ability  of  Rev.  Strassner's  sons  and  daughters,  which 
was  freely  contributed,  also  added  in  no  small  degree  to  the 
success  of  the  pastorate. 

After  closing  his  labors  with  the  First  Church,  Rev. 
Strassner  immediately  began  preaching  in  the  old  United 
Brethren  Church*  on  Thirteenth  Street,  S.E.  St.  John's  Clas- 
sis  gave  permission  to  organize  a  new  congregation  at  the  annu- 
al meeting  held  May  12-14,  with  the  proviso,  however,  that 
"The  congregation  to  be  founded  must  be  located  at  a  distance 
of  not  less  than  a  mile  from  the  First  Church,  and  must  not 
interfere  with  said  Church."  Under  this  authorization,  a  mis- 
sion was  organized  in  March,  1897.  The  mission  prospered, 
and  in  about  two  years  decided  to  secure  a  church-home  of  its 
own.  Lots  were  bought  at  the  corner  of  Market  Street  and 
Thirteenth  S.  E.,  and  a  neat  little  church  was  erected.  The 
church  and  lots  cost  $5000,  of  which  amount  $3000  had  been 
secured  by  the  day  of  dedication.  The  church  was  dedicated 
on  December  3,  1899.  Rev.  F.  C.  Nau  and  Rev.  F.  Mayer, 
D.D.,  of  Youngstown,  delivered  the  dedicatory  sermons.  At 
this  service,  Dr.  Strassner  said,  "Three  years  ago  we  did  not 
have  a  Bible  and  now  we  have  a  church  of  our  own.  Our 
children  can  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  we  have  planted,  and 
only  the  future  will  reveal  the  good  that  will  be  brought  forth." 


*  This  church  is  now  used    by  the    St.  Paul's   African  Methodist 
Episcopal  congregation  as  their  place  of  worship. 


GRACE  REFORMED  CHURCH 
South  Market  Street  and  Thirteenth 


LIFE  AND  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  F.  STRASSNER,  D.D.   145 

At  first  the  new  church  was  known  as  the  South  Market 
Street  Reformed  Church ;  later  the  name  was  changed  to  Grace 
Reformed  Church. 

Dr.  Strassner  continued  his  labors  until  1906.  The 
church  was  improved  and  paid  for,  and  the  membership  in- 
creased to  over  one  hundred.  After  preaching  more  than  half 
a  century,  he  retired  from  the  active  ministry  and  spent  his 
last  years  with  his  children.  During  the  last  months  of  his 
life,  he  was  very  feeble  and  helpless.  The  Lord  called  his  faith- 
ful servant  home  on  June  24,  1911. 

During  a  large  part  of  his  ministry  Dr.  Strassner  was  also 
active  with  his  pen,  contributing  frequently  to  the  Church  pa- 
pers and  periodicals.  He  also  edited  a  parish  paper  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  while  pastor  of  the  Orrville  charge.  In  1873  he 
issued  a  little  book  of  "Devotions  for  children."  From  this 
book  of  prayers  two  brief  extracts  will  be  given.  The  first 
is  a  morning  prayer  to  be  used  "when  entering  on  the  duties  of 
the  day." 

"O  Lord,  let  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  abide  in  me  that  I  may 
work  while  it  is  day :  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can  work. 
Help  me  to  fear  Thee  and  keep  Thy  commandments ;  to  watch 
and  pray  that  I  enter  not  into  temptation ;  O  gracious  God, 
the  Spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak.  Defend  me 
by  Thy  power ;  guard  me  against  sin  and  error ;  and  so  order 
the  events  of  this  day,  and  so  sanctify  my  thoughts  and  deeds 
that  they  may  promote  Thy  glory,  and  the  welfare  of  my  fel- 
low men,  through  Jesus  Christ,  my  Saviour." 

The  second  extract  is  a  part  of  the  prayer  for  Sunday 
evening:  "Forgive,  I  entreat  Thee,  O  heavenly  Father,  all  my 
sins  and  shortcomings  of  this  day,  the  coldness  of  my  devo- 
tions, the  dullness  of  my  prayers,  the  distractions  of  my 
thoughts.  Write  Thy  law  in  my  heart,  and  enable  me  to  show 
by  a  holy,  unblamable  and  useful  life,  that  I  have  not  enjoyed 
Thy  Sabbaths  in  vain.  Thus  prepare  me  more  and  more  for 
the  enjoyment  of  the  eternal  Sabbath  which  knows  no  setting 
sun."  Amen. 


10 


CHAPTER  XX 
THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU 

EV.  Frederick  C.  Nau  and  the  writer  were  classmates  for 
four  years  at  Calvin  College,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  graduating 
together  in  1893,  and  have  maintained  a  close  friendship 
through  the  years.  Rev.  Nau,  therefore,  very  willingly  con- 
sented to  describe  the  events  of  his  own  pastorate  for  this  his- 
tory. The  story  will  be  given  in  his  own  words,  without  any 
changes,  except  the  insertion  of  some  additional  matter  which 
will  be  included  in  brackets  in  the  body  of  the  text. 

Rev.  F.  C.  Nau  was  born  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  December  2, 
1871,  where  his  father  was  principal  of  the  German  High 
School.  His  education  was  begun  under  the  guidance  of  his 
father,  and  continued  in  the  public  schools  at  Mt.  Eaton,  Gal- 
ion,  and  New  Bavaria,  in  Ohio,  where  his  father,  who  had 
given  up  his  career  as  pedagogue,  had  been  serving  the  Re- 
formed congregations.  Of  his  experiences  as  a  youth  at  New 
Bavaria,  Rev.  Nau  writes  in  a  serio-comic  vein  as  follows :  "I, 
the  oldest  son,  was  hostler,  woodchopper  and  manager  of 
about  two  acres  of  Henry  County  muckland.  My  chief  am- 
bition was  to  excell  as  a  corn-cutter  and  husker.  I  always 
earned  one  dollar  per  day  and  board,  for  threshing,  binding 
wheat,  carrying  sheaves,  cutting  or  husking  corn  in  that  prim- 
itive land.  I  attended  country  school,  walking  to  school 
through  the  woods  in  deep  snow,  and  slush  or  mud,  for  one  and 
one-half  miles  each  morning.  I  was  janitor  of  the  school  one 
whole  winter.  I  opened  the  schoolhouse,  built  the  wood-fire, 
swept  the  schoolroom  every  day,  and  received  the  princely 
sum  of  five  cents  a  day.  I  was  the  most  energetic  kid  in  that 
section.  I  could  lick  anything  that  came  along;  that  is,  any- 
thing within  size  and  reason. 

"One  Saturday  evening,  August,  1887,  when  I,  the  ebul- 
lient youth,  returned  home  from  the  cornfield,  my  father  put 
the  quietus  on  my  rural  and  pugilistic  proclivities  by  solemnly 

146 


REV.  FREDERICK  C.   NAU 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU         147 

announcing  to  me  that  he  and  mother  had  decreed,  that  the 
next  week  I  should  go  to  Calvin  College.  I  started  out  with 
a  new  trunk  and  a  suit  that  cost  seven  dollars.  My  career 
there  was  uneventful." 

After  a  year  spent  in  Calvin  College,  Mr.  Nau  interrupt- 
ed his  college  work  to  teach  a  district-school  in  Henry  County 
during  the  winter  (1888-9).  That  fall  he  was  glad  to  go  back 
to  college  again,  and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  in  June,  1893.  During  his  college  career  he  gave  evi- 
dence of  possessing  exceptional  intellectual  abilities,  and  ex- 
celled especially  as  a  speaker  and  debater.  In  the  fall  of  1893, 
he  entered  the  Heidelberg  Theological  Seminary  at  Tiffin,  Ohio, 
taking  the  full  course  and  graduating  in  May,  1896.  The  sub- 
sequent events  we  will  let  Rev.  Nau  describe  in  his  own  words. 

"In  the  summer  of  1896,  Frederick  C.  Nau  had  just  com- 
pleted his  theological  studies  at  Heidelberg  Seminary,  Tiffin, 
Ohio,  when  the  Jerusalem's  German  Reformed  Church  of  Can- 
ton, O.,  which  had  become  vacant  through  the  resignation  of 
the  Rev'd  Frederick  Strassner,  D.D.,  wrote  to  Tiffin,  request- 
ing Dr.  John  H.  Peters,  President  of  the  University,  to  recom- 
mend as  a  temporary  supply  a  student,  who  could  preach  both 
German  and  English.  Dr.  Peters  referred  the  consistory  to 
Frederick  C.  Nau,  who  had  graduated  from  the  Seminary  a 
few  weeks  before,  had  been  licensed  to  preach  by  Erie  Classis 
at  its  last  meeting,  held  on  Kelley's  Island,  and  who  was  still 
residing  at  Tiffin.  He  supplied  the  pulpit  for  three  Sundays, 
when  he  was  nominated  by  the  consistory,  and  at  an  election, 
held  on  Sunday  morning,  June  21,  1896,  was  unanimously 
chosen  by  the  congregation  to  be  its  pastor.  He  accepted  the 
call  sent  him,  and  arrangements  were  at  once  made  by  St. 
John's  Classis  for  his  ordination  and  installation.  A  special 
meeting  of  Classis  was  called  and  held  in  the  old  frame  school 
house  of  this  church,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  last  Thursday  in 
July.  The  call  to  the  new  pastor  was  approved,  he  was  received 
into  Classis  and  a  committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  A.  G.  Lohmann, 
Rev.  John  H.  Rust,  D.D.,  and  Rev.  John  H.  Beck,  was  appoint- 
ed to  ordain  and  install  him  at  a  service  to  be  held  in  the 


148  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

church  that  same  evening.  Rev.  Lohmann  preached  the  ser- 
mon and  the  other  members  of  the  committee  conducted  the 
ordination  and  installation  services.  Prayer  was  offered  by 
Rev.  Henry  Nau,  father  of  the  newly-elected  pastor. 

"This  new  pastorate  began  most  auspiciously.*  The  peo- 
ple were  united  and  manifested  a  will  to  work. 

"In  September  of  1896,  the  pastor  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Engelina  C.  Cantieny,  of  Lima,  O.  Mrs.  Nau  be- 
came an  earnest  worker  in  the  church,  being  active  in  the  Sun- 
day School,  in  Christian  Endeavor,  and  the  Missionary  Society. 
She  organized  and  taught  a  large  young  ladies'  Bible  Class. 
[Two  daughters  were  born  to  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Nau  while  in 
Canton,  namely  Catherine  Lodwina  and  Dorothea.] 

"Early  in  1897,  the  question  of  building  an  addition  to 
the  church,  for  Sunday  School  purposes,  was  considered,  and 
the  consistory  was  authorized  by  the  congregation  to  begin  the 
raising  of  a  building  fund.  To  enable  the  church  to  borrow 
needed  moneys  to  carry  forward  the  building  operations,  action 
was  taken  to  have  the  church  legally  incorporated.  This  was 
done,  June  30,  1897,  and  the  old  name  'Jerusalem's  German 
Reformed  Church'  was  changed  to  'The  First  German  Re- 
formed Church  of  Canton,  Ohio.' 

"On  the  17th  of  April,  1898,  the  congregation  voted  to 
build  a  large  addition  to  the  west  side  of  the  church.  On  July 
27,  the  contracts  were  let.  Mr.  George  Whike  received  the 
contract  for  general  construction,  Mr.  Martin  Weiler  for  the 
stone  work,  and  Mr.  L.  B.  Hartung  for  heating  and  lighting. 
[The  building  committee  originally  appointed  consisted  of 
Phil.  Weber,  Chas.  Seeman,  Carl  Spanagel,  Henry  Rupp,  Jacob 
Schwingel,  Martin  Weiler,  and  L.  B.  Hartung.  A  few  weeks 
later  the  committee  was  enlarged  so  as  to  include  the  entire 
consistory  and  the  trustees.  Chas.  Seeman  was  made  chair- 
man and  Phil.  H.  Weber,  the  secretary  of  the  complete  commit- 
tee.] 


*  The  first  sermons  which  Rev.  Nau  preached  in  Canton  were  on 
the  following  texts :  for  the  German  sermon,  John  10 :  9 ;  for  the  Eng- 
lish, Matth.  6 :  33. 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU         149 

"During  the  course  of  construction  of  the  new  building, 
services  were  held  in  the  old  Narwold  Candy  factory  on  Ma- 
honing  Street,  which  had  become  vacant  shortly  before  this 
time,  and  was  generously  offered  to  the  congregation,  by  the 
Narwold  brothers,  for  the  holding  of  services  until  the  com- 
pletion of  the  new  building. 

"The  new  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  Jan- 
uary, 1899.  The  dedicatory  services  were  held  on  Sunday, 
January  22.  [The  Church  was  beautifully  decorated  for  the 
event.  The  pulpit  platform  was  almost  hidden  by  palms, 
lilies  and  other  plants.  At  the  rear  suspended  from  the  walls 
were  two  large  flags  of  our  country.] 

"The  German  sermon  was  preached  in  the  morning,  by 
Dr.  H.  J.  Ruetenik,  of  Cleveland,  president  of  Calvin  College, 
and  the  English  sermon,  in  the  evening,  by  Dr.  John  H.  Prugh, 
of  Grace  Reformed  Church  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  [Dr.  Ruetenik 
chose  for  his  subject,  'The  Foundation  of  the  Church';  Dr. 
Prugh,  The  Mission  of  the  Church.']  Rev.  S.  E.  Neikirk, 
of  Wooster,  Ohio,  made  the  appeal  for  special  contributions. 
These  amounted  to  about  $1300  for  the  day.  There  was  a 
fellowship  meeting  in  the  afternoon,  when  a  number  of  city 
pastors  brought  greetings  from  their  congregations.  The  cost 
of  the  new  building,  including  the  carpeting  and  frescoing  of 
the  old  church,  the  furnishing  of  the  basement  later,  and  the 
numerous  other  improvements,  amounted  to  about  $18,000. 
[The  entire  cost  of  the  new  building  alone  was  about  $12,000 ; 
the  remainder  was  expended  for  extensive  repairs  on  the  old 
building  and  the  items  given  above.  A  debt  of  $5000.00  re- 
mained on  the  day  of  dedication.  The  Sunday  School  room 
and  the  church  auditorium  at  that  time  were  separated  by  great 
rolling  doors ;  but  these  persistently  refused  to  work  satisfac- 
torily and  had  to  be  torn  out  a  few  years  later.  The  basement 
was  fitted  up  only  as  a  social  and  dining  hall,  and  was  not 
arranged  for  Sunday  School  purposes  until  1905.] 

"The  fine  memorial  windows  were  placed  in  the  church  at 
this  time  by  the  Frauenverein  and  some  of  the  families  of  the 
congregation.  [These  were  presented  as  follows  :  North  side, 


150  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Obergefell;  east  side,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J.  L.  Arnold,  Mrs.  Anna  Behmer,  Frauenverein,  memory  of 
Rebecca  Rupp;  south  side,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dan  Paar,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jacob  Schwingel,  Mrs.  Mary  Ohliger,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jacob  Hexamer.] 

"All  of  these  changes  proved  of  benefit  to  the  congregation. 
The  results  justified  the  expenditure  of  the  moneys.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  new  church  was  a  marked  improvement  over 
the  old.  The  fronts  of  the  two  buildings  were  matched,  and 
the  west  plot  of  ground,  occupied  only  by  the  little  frame 
school  house  was  covered  by  a  fine  brick  structure.  The  new 
building  was  planned  chiefly  for  work.  The  fifteen  class- 
rooms and  the  entire  arrangement,  made  for  more  effective 
teaching  and  greater  efficiency  in  general.  The  present  large, 
flourishing  Sunday  School  is  due  largely  to  two  factors :  the 
modern  Sunday  School  building  and  equipment,  and  the  selec- 
tion of  a  young  man  (William  Daberko)  for  superintendent, 
who  possesses  marked  talents  and  qualifications  for  this  work. 
He  knows  how  to  co-operate  with  pastor  and  consistory ;  how 
to  select  competent  teachers  and  work  with  them,  how  to 
organize  and  inspire  the  school  and  make  wise  use  of  the  ma- 
terial equipment  at  hand. 

[A  few  weeks  after  the  dedication  of  the  remodelled 
building  certain  aggravating  defects  began  to  disclose  them- 
selves. The  roof  persisted  in  leaking  and  staining  the  new 
frescoing;  the  rolling  doors  between  the  two  auditoriums 
showed  a  pernicious  habit  of  bulging  and  balking  at  most  inop- 
portune moments,  the  pews  stuck  to  the  worshipers  and  re- 
fused to  let  go,  and  the  heating  plant  did  not  behave  as  a 
church  institution  ought.  This  all  required  extra  exertion  and 
expense  for  the  consistory.] 

"The  old  frame  school  house,  which  for  twenty  years  un- 
der Dr.  Peter  Herbruck's  pastorate,  had  served  the  purposes 
of  a  German  parochial  school,  was  sold  for  $100,  and  removed 
from  the  church  grounds.  Before  the  erection  of  the  new 
Sunday  School  structure,  this  schoolhouse  was  used  by  the 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU         151 

Primary  Department  of  the  Sunday  School,  and  for  the  usual 
social  and  business  meetings  of  the  church. 

[On  June  4,  1899,  the  congregation  deeded  to  the  city  of 
Canton,  a  strip  of  land  six  feet  wide,  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  lot  on  the  west  side,  to  be  used  only  for  sidewalk  pur- 
poses, provided  the  city  bear  all  the  expenses  connected  with 
the  laying  of  the  walk  and  completing  the  improvements  con- 
templated.] 

"In  the  year  1900,  the  large  churchyard  back  of  the  church 
which  had  been  a  cemetery  from  the  earliest  times  of  the  con- 
gregation's history,  was  graded  and  terraced.  This  was  made 
necessary  by  an  unfortunate  occurrence.  When  the  contractor 
began  work  on  the  new  basement,  he  instructed  his  men  to 
dump  the  excavated  ground  on  the  church  yard.  The  old 
grave  stones  were  laid  flat  on  the  graves  and  the  whole  ceme- 
tery was  covered  with  the  new  ground  about  three  feet  deep. 
This  was  done  without  instructions  from  the  consistory  and 
while  the  pastor  was  absent  from  the  city.  It  was  all  done  so 
suddenly  and  speedily,  that  there  was  no  chance  to  prevent  it. 
It  was  a  disappointment  to  the  people,  and  the  only  way  of 
making  even  partial  reparation,  was  by  grading  and  terracing 
the  grounds.  The  old  tomb-stone  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust, 
the  predecessor  of  Dr.  Herbruck,  because  of  its  historic  value, 
ought  to  be  dug  up  and  erected  again  at  some  future  day.  It 
lies  immediately  back  of  the  rear  door  of  the  Sunday  School. 
[The  body  of  Rev.  Benj.  Faust,  however,  had  been  removed 
many  years  before  and  only  the  stone  was  left  to  mark  the 
former  site  of  the  grave.] 

"The  growing  work  of  the  church  at  this  time  suggested 
the  idea  of  increasing  the  number  of  members  of  the  consis- 
tory. This  was  done  at  a  congregational  meeting,  held  Decem- 
ber 28,  1900,  when  the  number  was  increased  from  twelve  to 
eighteen. 

"For  some  time  there  was  a  desire  prevalent  among  the 
younger  women  of  the  church  for  a  second  woman's  organiza- 
tion. The  'Frauenverein'  was  large  and  flourishing  and  doing 
a  splendid  work,  but  there  were  many  younger  women  in  the 


152  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

congregation,  who  were  not  affiliated  with  this  society.  This 
fact  prompted  the  organization  of  the  'Woman's  Missionary 
Society.'  The  pastor  invited  those  who  favored  a  missionary 
society  to  meet  on  a  Sunday  afternoon  of  January,  1902. 
Seventeen  came  out  for  the  meeting,  which  was  held  in  the 
Primary  room  of  the  Sunday  School,  and  after  a  brief  discus- 
sion, an  organization  was  effected.  This  was  the  first  English 
Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  Central  Synod. 

"During  this  year  (1902)  the  question  of  installing  the 
Individual  Communion  Service  came  up  for  consideration. 
There  were  arguments  pro  and  con.  Many  of  the  devout 
German  members  could  not  conscientiously  vote  for  the  new 
way.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  use  both  services,  the  old 
historic  service  with  the  common  cup,  in  the  morning  of  com- 
munion Sunday,  and  the  individual  cups  in  the  evening.  This 
arrangement  gave  general  satisfaction. 

"In  the  year  1906  the  new  organ  was  purchased.  Andrew 
Carnegie  gave  $1500,  one-half  of  the  cost.  The  heirs  of  Elder 
Henry  Rupp  contributed  $1000  out  of  his  estate,  and  the  con- 
gregation raised  $500.  This  organ  constantly  reminds  the 
congregation  of  one  of  its  most  devoted  and  faithful  members, 
Elder  Henry  Rupp.  His  death  occurred  on  Sunday  morning, 
January  15,  1905,  shortly  after  he  had  partaken  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  He  was  hastening  up  the  hill,  at  the  public  square, 
to  get  the  Canton-Akron  interurban  car  to  take  him  to  his 
home  along  the  New  Berlin  road  when  he  suddenly  fell  to  the 
sidewalk.  He  was  carried  into  a  near  by  store  in  an  uncon- 
scious state.  When  the  pastor  arrived  a  few  minutes  later, 
he  was  shocked  to  see  the  beloved  elder  dead.  He  passed 
away  with  the  joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy  Communion  in  his 
heart.  As  Mr.  Rupp  was  a  widower  and  without  children, 
the  only  heirs  being  his  brother  John  and  his  two  sisters,  they 
were  asked  to  give  $1000  toward  the  new  pipe  organ,  which 
they  very  willingly  did.  The  organ  is  therefore  called  'The 
Rupp  Memorial  Organ.'  At  the  dedicatory  services  held  on 
Sunday,  January  26,  1906,  the  morning  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  John  H.  Bosch,  of  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  and  the  evening 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU         153 

sermon  by  Rev.  S.  E.  Neikirk  of  Wooster.  [Rev.  Bosch 
preached  on  Psalm  150,  and  Rev.  Neikirk  chose  Rev.  5:  9, 
'And  they  sung  a  new  song.']  This  new  instrument  was  great- 
ly needed.  The  old  tracker-action  organ  was  small  and  after 
forty  years  of  constant  service  was  quite  well  worn  out.  The 
new  organ  has  two  manuals,  tubular-pneumatic  action,  twenty- 
two  speaking  stops  and  1200  pipes.  At  the  beginning  of  Rev. 
Nau's  pastorate,  Mr.  L.  A.  Clewell,  who  had  been  the  efficient 
and  faithful  organist  for  many  years,  resigned.  Mr.  Harry 
Ballard  become  his  successor  and  served  throughout  this  pas- 
torate and  far  into  the  next. 

[In  the  fall  of  1904  the  Sunday  School  offered  to  com- 
plete the  basement  and  fit  it  up  for  Sunday  School  purposes, 
and  pay  all  the  expenses.  The  congregation  gladly  gave  its 
permission  and  the  work  was  completed  during  1905  at  a  total 
expense  of  $1648.  The  primary  department  of  the  Sunday 
School  was  then  assigned  to  the  new  rooms,  which  relieved  the 
congested  condition  upstairs  that  had  greatly  handicapped  the 
growth  of  the  school.  In  the  course  of  three  years  the  Sun- 
day School  paid  off  the  entire  expense  of  this  improvement.] 

"During  the  year  1906,  the  last  payment  on  the  debt  in- 
curred by  the  building  of  the  Sunday-School  addition  was  made 
and  the  church  was  free  at  last.  But  another  small  debt  was 
incurred  immediately  after  the  liquidation  of  the  mortgage  in- 
debtedness. The  church  needed  to  be  frescoed  again  and  other 
improvements  made.  The  cost  of  these  improvements  amount- 
ed to  $1276. 

"The  language  question  was  discussed  frequently,  frankly 
and  seriously  in  this  congregation  for  many  years.  This  is  the 
one  difficult  problem  to  solve  in  a  German-English  church.  It 
must  be  said,  to  the  credit  of  the  people  of  The  First  German 
Reformed  Church,  that  at  no  time  did  they  allow  the  German- 
English  question  to  cause  serious  dissensions  among  the  peo- 
ple. The  membership  wanted  that  arrangement  of  the  two 
languages,  which  would  be  for  the  general  welfare  of  the  whole 
congregation,  and  whenever  a  vote  had  been  taken  the  minor- 
ity, in  the  true  American  spirit  always  yielded  to  the  majority 


154  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

vote.  The  Sunday  School  and  evening  services  were  made 
English  during  the  two  preceding  pastorates.  In  1907,  by  a 
vote  of  270  to  116,  taken  on  Sunday  morning,  July  6,  it  was 
decided  to  hold  English  morning  services  every  alternate  Sun- 
day. This  vote  was  taken  shortly  after  Rev.  Nau  had  resigned 
and  was  preparing  to  leave  for  a  new  field  of  labor. 

"Having  for  some  time  had  a  desire  to  go  East,  and  hav- 
ing within  a  year,  received  two  calls  from  the  eastern  section 
of  our  Church,  one  from  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Leba- 
non, Pa.,  and  another  from  St.  Mark's  Church  of  Easton,  Pa., 
Rev.  Nau  decided  to  accept  the  call  from  Easton.  According- 
ly he  presented  his  resignation  to  this  congregation  on  Sunday 
morning,  June  6,  1907,  just  eleven  years  after  preaching  his 
first  sermon  in  Canton.  He  closed  his  pastorate  the  last  Sun- 
day in  July,  and  preached  his  initial  sermon  in  Easton  the  first 
Sunday  in  August,  1907. 

"During  this  period  of  eleven  years  the  membership  of  the 
congregation  increased  from  524  to  over  1000.  There  were 
444  baptisms,  405  confirmations,  and  over  400  accessions  by 
certificate  and  reprofession  of  faith.  Did  they  all  remain  true 
to  their  church  ?  Alas,  not  all !  The  sad  fact  remains  in  our 
modern  churches,  that  so  many  of  those  who  unite  with  the 
churches  do  not  continue  faithful  to  the  end.  But  it  has  always 
been  so.  It  is  not  easy  to  keep  the  faith  and  conserve  the  spir- 
itual life. 

"The  one  who  had  the  honor  of  serving  this  congregation 
for  eleven  years,  can  never  forget  what  this  church  did  for  him. 
It  gave  him  his  first  opportunity  in  the  Christian  ministry.  It 
dealt  with  him  most  kindly  and  generously  throughout  his  pas- 
torate. He  will  always  hold  the  dear  old  church  of  Canton  in 
grateful  remembrance.  Every  hour  of  the  day  he  is  reminded 
of  the  old  friends  by  the  gold  watch  he  carries  in  his  pocket, 
which  is  a  beautiful  Christmas  gift  from  this  congregation.  It 
is  now  a  good  many  years  old,  but  it  is  just  as  bright  and  true, 
as  it  was  on  that  hallowed  Christmas  night,  when  it  was  pre- 
sented to  him." 


THE  PASTORATE  OF  REV.  FREDERICK  C.  NAU         155 

[Since  leaving  Canton,  Rev.  Nau  has  served  St.  Mark's 
Church,  Easton,  Pa.,  for  two  years,  and  St.  Mark's,  Reading, 
Pa.,  for  seven  years.  Since  June,  1916,  he  is  serving  Grace 
Church,  Pittsburgh. 

Wherever  he  has  served  the  membership  of  his  congrega- 
tions has  very  materially  increased,  and  he  has  made  for  him- 
self an  enviable  reputation  as  a  clear  and  forceful  speaker  with 
a  helpful  and  inspiring  message. 

In  the  First  Reformed  Church  in  Canton,  a  large  circle 
of  sincere  friends  holds  his  name  in  grateful  remembrance. 

Rev.  Nau  has  also  served  the  church  at  large  by  acting 
as  president  of  Reading  Classis,  member  of  the  Sunday  School 
Board  of  General  Synod,  and  delegate  to  General  Synod.  He 
has  also  contributed  occasional  articles  to  the  church  papers, 
the  Reformed  Church  Review  and  other  periodicals.] 


CHAPTER  XXI 
THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  THE  INCORPORATION 

IN  1810  when  the  Reformed  and  the  Lutheran  congrega- 
tions decided  to  begin  the  erection  of  a  little  chapel  on 
the  site  which  Bezaleel  Wells  had  dedicated  "for  a  house  of 
worship,"  they  adopted  certain  agreements  which  were  to  reg- 
ulate their  mutual  relations.  Twelve  years  later  when  a  new 
site  was  about  to  be  purchased  the  two  congregations  adopted 
"Articles  of  Union  and  Agreement,"  which  were  to  regulate 
all  matters  concerning  the  joint  ownership  of  the  property  and 
the  rights  of  each  congregation.  During  this  period  the  two 
congregations  had  one  church  record  in  common.  Unfortu- 
nately this  book,  which  contained  the  invaluable  account  of  the 
beginnings  of  the  congregations  and  these  "Articles  of  Union 
and  Agreement,"  has  been  lost.  A  most  diligent  search  in  the 
records  and  archives  of  the  Stark  County  Courthouse  also 
failed  to  discover  any  trace  of  them. 

Isolated  references  to  these  "agreements"  which  are  found 
in  the  history  of  our  congregation,  disclose  that  they  contained 
several  most  interesting  features  which  should  be  emphasized. 
Thus,  the  members  of  each  congregation  had  the  right  to  vote 
for  the  officers  of  the  other  congregation  also ;  and  in  the  call- 
ing of  a  new  minister  by  either  congregation,  the  members  of 
both  were  allowed  to  vote.  Furthermore,  the  pastor  of  each 
congregation  regularly  gave  catechetical  instruction  to  the 
youth  of  both  congregations  together,  at  such  times  when  the 
other  pastor  was  serving  in  some  other  section  of  the  vast  par- 
ish, which  was  being  served  in  common.  On  the  days  of  con- 
firmation either  pastor  would  confirm  the  catechumens  as  "Re- 
formed," or  "Lutherans"  according  to  their  preference. 

During  the  "new  measure"  excitement  (1838-1846)  the 
two  congregations  began  to  draw  apart.  The  denominational 
distinctions  were  still  more  emphasized  after  1846,  when,  as  a 
consequence  of  the  adoption  of  a  new  constitution  by  the  Ohio 

156 


THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  THE  INCORPORATION      157 

Synod,  Rev.  Peter  Herbruck  worked  out  a  distinctly  Reformed 
constitution  for  the  Canton  congregation.  He  introduced, 
however,  a  number  of  unique  articles  which  have  been  retained 
to  the  present  time,  although  the  constitution  has  been  several 
times  revised  and  frequently  amended.  A  careful  reading  will 
disclose  these  odd  features  without  further  comment. 

The  last  revision  occurred  in  1897,  when  the  congregation 
was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Ohio.  At  that 
time  the  name  and  nature  of  the  church  was  legally  changed 
by  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution,  "Resolved,  that 
this  congregation  be  changed  from  an  association  under  the 
name  of  the  First  German  Reformed  Jerusalem's  Church,  to  a 
corporation  under  the  name  of,  The  First  German  Reformed 
Church  of  Canton,  Ohio;  and  that  all  the  rights,  title  and 
interests  in  and  to,  any  and  all,  real  and  personal  property 
which  it  now  owns,  pass  to  and  vest  in  the  church  under  the 
new  incorporated  name,  and  that  the  title  to  the  real  estate  be 
legally  transferred  by  the  trustees  of  the  association  to  the  new- 
ly elected  trustees  of  the  corporation." 

The  constitution  as  revised  and  adopted  in  1897  will  here 
be  given  in  a  free  translation  from  the  German.  Later  amend- 
ments will  be  indicated  in  brackets. 

THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  CHURCH  RULES  OF  THE  FIRST 
GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  OHIO. 

As  it  is  a  commonly  accepted  proposition  that  no  social 
organization  or  union  of  individuals  for  attaining  a  common 
goal,  can  exist  without  order  and  laws,  we,  the  undersigned 
members  of  the  First  German  Reformed  Church,  here  in  Can- 
ton, Stark  County,  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  have  found  ourselves 
persuaded  to  draw  up  the  following  Constitution  and  Church 
Rules ;  and  obligate  ourselves  by  our  own  signature  to  precise- 
ly follow  and  support  the  same. 

ARTICLE  I. 

The  First  German  Reformed  Church  in  Canton  recognizes 
no  other  foundation  for  its  faith  and  life  than  the  Gospel  of 


158  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

our  Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ,  as  it  is  contained  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

ARTICLE  II.— THE  CONSISTORY. 

1.  For  managing  the  affairs  of  the  church  a  mass  meeting 
of  all  the  members  of  the  church  shall  be  held  on  the  first  Sun- 
day of  each  year,  [amended  as  follows :  "On  a  Sunday  in  De- 
cember"] on  which  occasion  a  consistory  shall  be  elected  by 
ballot,  consisting  of  four  elders,  eight  deacons,  [amended  De- 
cember 1900  to  read:    "Six  elders  and  twelve  deacons"]  and 
three  trustees.     [When  the  new  constitution  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States  went  into  effect  in  1908,  this  arti- 
cle was  interpreted  in  accordance  with  Article  9  of  the  general 
constitution  of  the  church,  and  the  consistory  was  declared  to 
constitute  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  congregation.] 

2.  The  day  of  the  election  shall  be  announced  each  year 
by  the  minister  of  the  congregation,  fourteen  days  before  the 
day  determined  upon  for  the  election. 

3.  It  shall  herewith  be  perpetually  established  that  the 
minister  of  the  congregation  is  and  remains  a  member  of  the 
congregation  without  interruption,  so  long  as  he  serves  in  his 
official  capacity;  he  shall  also,  whenever  present,  be  chairman 
at  every  meeting  of  the  consistory. 

4.  Whenever  a  member  of  the  consistory  dies  or  moves 
away,  the  vacant  office  shall  be  filled  at  a  special,  general  elec- 
tion, which  is  to  be  announced,  fourteen  days  before,  to  the 
congregation  by  the  minister. 

ARTICLE  III.— THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  CONSISTORY. 
A.    The  Duties  of  the  Preacher. 

1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  preacher  to  preach  the  Gospel 
pure,  unadulterated,  and  free  from  human  additions  or  arbi- 
trary perversions;    and  to  administer  the  holy   sacraments; 
wherein,  at  the  sacrament  of  the  Holy  Supper,  he  is  to  adhere 
strictly  to  the  directions  as  given  in  I  Cor.  1 1 :  23-29. 

2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  preacher  to  prepare  the  youth 
and  the  adults  for  reception  into  the  church  and  partaking  of 


the  Holy  Supper,  by  instructing  them  in  the  essential  truths  of 
the  salvation  of  the  Christian  religion.  He  shall  also  visit  the 
sick  and  constantly  labor  to  the  end  that  the  members  of  the 
church  shall  lead  a  Christian  life. 

3.  The  preacher  shall  go  before  his  congregation  in  a  truly 
Christian  manner  of  life.     If  he  should  cause  offense,  or — 
which  God  may  prevent — be  guilty  of  gross  sin  or  vice,  he 
shall  be  warned  and  admonished  by  the  other  members  of  the 
consistory  in  a  brotherly  manner ;  and  if  he  gives  no  heed,  and 
incorrigibly  becomes   a   stumbling-block   and    offense   to   the 
church,  the  consistory  has  the  right  to  accuse  the  preacher 
before  the  Classis  to  which  he  belongs,  and  to  deny  him  all 
official  duties  in  the  congregation  until  the  matter  has  been 
definitely  decided  by  the  Classis  or  the  Synod. 

4.  Furthermore  it  shall  be  left  to  the  preacher  without 
restraint,  to  conduct  a  Christian  devotional  hour,  on  some  even- 
ing of  each  week,  in  no  other  way,  however,  except  that  the 
preacher  begins  the  devotional  hour  with  singing  and  prayer, 
and  then  reads  and  explains  [in  the  constitution  as  originally 
adopted  the  words  "Hermeneutically  and  exegetically"   fol- 
lowed here]  a  chapter  from  the  Old  or  New  Testament.     In 
case  it  is  impossible  for  the  minister  to  conduct  the  devotional 
hour  himself,  it  is  permissible  for  any  member  of  the  congre- 
gation having  the  ability  to  conduct  the  same. 

B.    The  Duties  of  Trustees* 

1.  They  shall  seek  by  the  grace  of  God  to  preside  over 
their  own  home  and  also  the  congregation,  and  go  before  them 
in  the  way  of  a  Christian  deportment. 

2.  They  shall  see  to  it  that  the  property  of  the  congrega- 
tion shall  be  secured  against  loss  and  injury,  and  the  buildings 
be  kept  in  good  condition. 

3.  That  deeds  and  other  important  documents  belonging 
to  the  congregation  are  safely  preserved. 

4.  That  all  debts  which  may  exist,  are  reduced  and  can- 
celled in  the  manner  most  advantageous  for  the  congregation. 


*  The  entire  consistory  now  constitutes  the  Board  of  Trustees. 


160  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

C.  Duties  of  Elders. 

1.  They  are  to  go  before  the  congregation  with  a  Christian 
deportment. 

2.  They  are  to  see  to  it  that  evangelical  doctrine,  and 
Christian  discipline  in  the  congregation  are  maintained  and 
continued. 

3.  To  visit  the  school  on  occasions  and  make  provision 
that  good  order  is  observed  therein,  and  the  children  are  right- 
ly instructed. 

4.  Should  quarrels  and  disagreements  exist  in  the  congre- 
gation, they  shall  seek  as  much  as  possible  to  reconcile  the 
quarreling  factions  in  order  to  restore  peace. 

5.  When  the  preacher  requests  it,  they  shall  go  with  him  to 
visit  the  sick. 

6.  They  shall  see  to  it  that  the  account  of  all  expenditures 
and  receipts  of  the  congregation  are  correctly  kept,  and  finally, 
aid  in  carrying  out  all  further  measures  for  advancing  the  wel- 
fare of  the  congregation. 

D.   The  Duties  of  Deacons. 

1.  They  shall  go  before  the  congregation  with  a  pious  ex- 
ample. 

2.  At  public  and  private  services  and  in  particular  at  the 
distribution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  they  shall  extend  all  neces- 
sary assistance. 

3.  They  shall  gather  the  offerings,  and  keep  a  record  of 
the  same,  and  hand  them  over  to  the  treasurer  or  the  financial 
secretary. 

4.  They  shall  see  to  it  that  the  laborers  in  the  word  of  God 
are  supported,  and  provided  for,  and  kept  according  to  the 
command  of  Christ;    and  finally,  they  shall  secure  good  dis- 
cipline and  order,  and  promote  the  same. 

ARTICLE  IV. — CONSISTORY  MEETING. 

1.  The  consistory  shall  regularly  meet  once  a  month,  to 
consider  all  matters  that  will  advance  the  welfare  of  the  con- 
gregation. 


THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  THE  INCORPORATION      161 

2.  A  mere  majority  of  the  members  of  the  consistory  shall 
constitute  a  quorum,  which  shall  be  authorized  to  open  the 
meeting  and  dispose  of  the  business  on  hand.     [Amended,  No- 
vember 15,  1896  to  read,  "Seven  members  of  the  consistory 
shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and  shall  be  authorized  to  open  a 
meeting  and  transact  business."] 

3.  The  proceedings  of  the  consistory  shall  be  entered  into 
a  record  designated  for  that  purpose,  and  it  shall  be  a  stated 
duty,  to  announce  the  most  important  resolutions  to  the  congre- 
gation, on  the  following  Sunday. 

ARTICLE  V. — GENERAL  DUTIES  OF  THE  CONSISTORY. 

1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  consistory  to  see  to  it  that 
every  member  of  the  congregation  leads  a  Christian  life;   and 
in  case  any  member  should  be  guilty  of  an  opposite  act,  the 
consistory  shall  cite  him  to  appear  before  it;   and  if  the  error 
is  proved,  the  consistory  shall  admonish  him  once  or  several 
times ;  if  no  amendment  ensues,  the  consistory  has  the  right  to 
suspend  such  a  member  from  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
until  such  a  time  that  amendment  of  life  is  shown ;  or  even  to 
exclude  him  from  the  congregation. 

2.  Two  members  of  the  consistory  are  empowered  to  call 
a  meeting  of  the  consistory. 

ARTICLE  VI. — RECEPTION  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

1.  No  one  shall  be  confirmed  who  has  not  begun  or  attend- 
ed the  instruction  of  the  minister,  unless  the  minister  and  the 
consistory  consider  that  the  applicant  has  a  sufficient  knowl- 
edge of  religion,  or  are  satisfied  that  he  is  receptive  and  qual- 
ified thereunto. 

ARTICLE  VII.— ARRIVALS. 

1.  Applicants  for  membership  who  cannot  present  a  good 
recommendation  from  the  congregation  from  which  they  have 
departed,  and  are  entire  strangers  to  the  consistory,  shall  be 
received  only  on  six-month's  probation.  If  they  prove  them- 
selves during  this  period  as  good  members,  their  names  shall 
be  entered  upon  the  roll  of  the  regular  church-members. 
11 


162  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

2.  When  members  of  the  Protestant-Evangelical  church  of 
Europe  or  other  countries  come  into  the  local  congregation, 
and  abide  here  permanently,  it  will  be  their  duty,  if  they  desire 
to  become  members  of  our  church,  to  make  application  to  the 
consistory  or  a  member  thereof;    the  consistory  shall   then 
acquaint  such  newcomers  with  our  constitution  and  church 
laws ;  if  they  express  a  willingness  to  abide  by  the  church  laws 
thus  brought  to  their  attention  and  to  support  the  same,  then 
their  names  shall  be  entered  into  the  church-record,  and  they 
shall  be  considered  as  members  of  the  congregation.     Recep- 
tion of  members  shall  take  place  before  the  assembled  congre- 
gation. 

3.  No  one  can  be  considered  a  member  of  the  congregation 
who  does  not  support  the  church  and  minister  according  to  his 
ability.     A  neglect  of  this  duty  without  sufficient  cause  shall 
be  considered  as  though  such  a  member  had  withdrawn  from 
the  church  of  his  own  accord,  and  his  name  shall  be  erased 
from  the  roll  of  members  of  the  congregation. 

ARTICLE  VIII. — CONCERNING  ELECTIONS. 

1.  No  election  shall  be  counted  as  legal  which  has  not  been 
announced  fourteen  days  beforehand,  according  to  Article  II, 
Section  2. 

2.  When  a  minister  resigns  the  congregation,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  consistory  to  advertise  the  vacant  charge,  and 
as  soon  as  one  or  more  candidates  apply  for  the  position  of 
pastor,  the  congregation  shall  vote  for  one  of  the  candidates 
recommended  by  the  consistory,  on  a  day  announced  before- 
hand;  and  if  the  candidate  receives  a  two-thirds  majority  of 
all  the  votes  cast  by  members  in  good  and  regular  standing,  he 
shall  be  considered  the  choice  of  the  whole  congregation  in  view 
of  which  a  call  shall  be  extended  to  him. 

ARTICLE  IX. — ITINERANT  AND  VISITING  MINISTERS. 

A  minister  who  is  a  stranger  coming  into  the  congregation 
and  desiring  to  preach  in  the  place  of  the  minister  stationed 
here,  must  apply  to  the  consistory  or  a  member  thereof;  and 


THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  THE  INCORPORATION      163 

shall  be  permitted  to  preach  with  the  permission  of  the  consis- 
tory or  the  regular  minister. 

ARTICLE  X. — CONCERNING  THE  LANGUAGE. 

Both  languages  shall  be  used  in  this  congregation.  The 
sermon  in  the  morning  shall  be  in  German  and  in  the  evening 
in  English.  [By  a  vote  of  the  congregation  taken  on  Sunday, 
June  30,  1907,  this  article  was  changed  by  a  majority  of  270 
to  116,  so  as  to  hold  German  services  only  every  two  weeks  in 
the  morning.] 

ARTICLE  XI. — IMPROVEMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH  PROPERTY. 
When  repairs  are  necessary  on  the  church  or  parsonage 
which  shall  exceed  a  cost  of  $50.00,  the  consistory  shall  call  a 
congregational  meeting  to  consider  the  matter.  No  improve- 
ments shall  be  started,  however,  until  sufficient  funds  are  in 
hand  or  have  been  subscribed. 

ARTICLE  XII.— THE  GENERAL  CONSTITUTION. 
All  questions  which  cannot  be  decided  by  this  constitution, 
shall  be  determined  according  to  the  general  constitution  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 


In  1897,  the  congregation  decided  to  be  legally  incorporat- 
ed under  the  general  corporation  laws  of  Ohio  as  a  "corpora- 
tion not  for  profit,"  in  order  "to  provide  a  place  of  worship 
for  its  members,  to  be  conducted,  according  to  the  rules  and 
discipline  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States ;  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  to  receive 
and  hold  donations  and  bequests  and  funds  arising  from  other 
sources  for  the  benefit  of  said  corporation." 

The  articles  of  incorporation  were  filed  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  on  November  29,  1897,  and  are  recorded  in  Vol- 
ume 73,  Page  228,  of  the  Records  of  Incorporation. 


CHAPTER  XX11 

REV.  THEODORE  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE 
FIRST  CHURCH 

DURING  July  of  1907,  Rev.  F.  C.  Nau,  who  had  just  re- 
signed the  Canton  pastorate,  wrote  to  Rev.  Theodore  P. 
Bolliger,  who  was  then  serving  the  New  Philadelphia  church, 
inviting  him  to  supply  the  Canton  pulpit  some  Sunday  during 
August.  Now  it  happened  that  Rev.  Bolliger  had  been  grant- 
ed all  of  August  as  his  vacation,  but  that  he  could  not  leave 
New  Philadelphia  until  after  the  first  Sunday  of  the  month, 
so  he  promptly  informed  Rev.  Nau  that  the  only  Sunday  on 
which  he  could  preach  would  be  the  first,  and  that  he  was  will- 
ing to  come  only  with  the  express  understanding  that  he  was 
not  a  candidate  for  the  pulpit,  and  would  not  consider  himself 
as  being  placed  under  any  obligation  to  the  congregation,  if  he 
preached. 

With  this  understanding  Rev.  Bolliger  spent  Sunday, 
August  4,  in  Canton.  He  taught  the  German  class,  made  a  lit- 
tle speech  to  the  Sunday  School,  preached  morning  and  even- 
ing, and  talked  to  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  In  the 
morning  he  preached  on  Luke  19:  41,  in  the  evening  on  Eph. 
3 :  14-16.  The  subjects  were,  "Die  Traenen  unsres  Heilan- 
des,"  and  "The  Christ  Dwelling  Within."  He  was  received 
most  cordially,  but  not  a  word  or  hint  was  given  that  might 
have  been  construed  as  indicating  that  the  sermons  were  looked 
upon  as  "trial  sermons."  Two  days  later,  Rev.  Bolliger  went 
west  for  a  month  and  gave  no  further  thought  to  his  Canton 
visit. 

During  the  next  weeks  the  Canton  people  heard  several 
other  ministers,  and  by  the  beginning  of  September,  the  consis- 
tory had  come  to  a  decision,  for  at  the  meeting  held  on  the 
third,  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  passed,  "That 
the  committee  composed  of  Brothers  Seemann  and  Daberko 
interview  Rev.  Bolliger  and  see  if  he  would  accept  a  call  from 

164 


REV.  THEODORE  PHILIP  BOLLIGER 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        165 

this  church  if  it  were  extended  to  him."  This  committee  met 
with  Rev.  Bolliger  and  very  frankly  discussed  with  him  cer- 
tain needs  and  problems  of  the  Canton  church ;  but  had  to  be 
content  to  wait  a  week  before  he  could  give  them  a  definite 
answer.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  consented  to  have  his 
name  go  before  the  congregation  as  a  candidate  for  the  pulpit. 
The  next  communication  that  he  received  was  the  official  noti- 
fication that  he  had  been  unanimously  elected  on  Sunday,  Sep- 
tember 29. 

On  Sunday,  November  17,  the  new  pastor  conducted  his 
first  services.  The  first  services  are  always  of  peculiar  inter- 
est to  both  pastor  and  people  and  many  of  the  members  will  be 
glad  to  be  reminded  of  the  themes  and  the  outlines  of  the  first 
sermons.  In  the  morning  the  text  was  Acts  4:  12,  "Es  ist  in 
keinem  Andern  Heil,  ist  auch  kein  andrer  Name  den  Men- 
schen  gegeben,  darinnen  wir  sollen  selig  werden."  The  sub- 
ject was,  "Der  Weg  zur  Seligkeit."  Erstens,  Der  Weg  der 
Menschen ;  zweitens,  Der  Weg  Gottes.  In  the  evening  the 
text  was  I  John  4:  16,  "God  is  love;  and  he  that  abideth  in 
love  abideth  in  God."  The  subject  was,  "God  is  Love."  First, 
the  Meaning  of  these  Words ;  secondly,  the  Obligations  of  this 
Wondrous  Truth.  These  were  given  as  the  obligation  of  con- 
fession, of  loving  others,  and  of  abiding  in  God.  Though  the  au- 
diences were  not  large,  the  new  pastor  felt  like  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  land,  being  gazed  upon  by  the  curious  natives  who 
were  wondering  how  he  would  "pan  out." 

At  this  point  the  author  somewhat  reluctantly  must  inter- 
rupt the  story  of  the  Canton  pastorate  to  talk  about  himself  a 
bit.  The  previous  pastors  all  had  to  submit  to  the  embarrass- 
ment of  furnishing  personal  details  of  their  lives,  and  so  to  be 
consistent,  and  not  show  himself  undue  favors,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary for  him  to  go  through  with  it  also.  For  the  paragraphs 
dealing  with  himself,  the  author  prefers  to  speak  in  the  first 
person. 

In  the  little  village  of  Newville,  Ind.,  now  known  as  Vera 
Cruz,  I  was  born  on  Friday,  the  thirteenth  of  December,  1872. 
Much  of  the  primitive  forest  was  still  standing,  the  swamps 


166  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

had  not  yet  been  drained,  and  during  the  summer  everybody 
had  the  maleria  or  the  ague.  My  earliest  recollection  of  apple- 
butter  is  that  it  always  had  a  bit  of  quinine  hidden  beneath  the 
surface.  We  got  it  during  summer  as  regularly  as  our  meals. 
My  second  earliest  recollection  has  to  do  with  the  mysterious 
sounds  in  the  tree  tops,  and  the  nuts  under  the  trees.  These 
seemed  to  lure  me  on ;  and  one  day  the  lad  of  four  became  the 
most  talked-of  personage  in  the  village  by  following  the  voices 
into  the  woods,  becoming  lost,  falling  asleep  and  not  being 
found  until  many  hours  later.  The  next  clear  recollection  has 
to  do  with  the  desire  of  some  day  preaching,  even  as  my  father 
did.  When  nearly  six  years  of  age,  my  father  for  the  sake  of 
our  health  moved  to  Kansas.  There  my  boyhood  was  spent  at 
Hiawatha  and  New  Basel,  where  I  attended  the  public  schools. 
I  learned  to  read  German  as  early  as  I  learned  the  English,  and 
a  wonderful  acquisition  it  was  to  me.  At  New  Basil,  we  lived 
twelve  miles  from  the  nearest  railroad,  in  a  community  largely 
of  Swiss  people,  with  conditions  raw  and  primitive.  Every- 
body was  poor.  There  were  no  luxuries  and  few  of  the  neces- 
sities of  life.  My  father  had  a  salary  of  $400  a  year  which 
frequently  was  not  paid  in  full,  and  in  addition  had  a  neat  par- 
sonage and  received  all  the  meat  and  flour  that  the  household 
of  ten  required.  Spending  money  for  children  was  unknown. 
About  twice  a  year  father  would  give  each  one  of  us  a  nickel. 
It  was  often  a  matter  of  days  until  all  the  various  de- 
sires of  childhood  had  been  weighed  and  the  best  purchase 
decided  upon.  All  about  us  were  the  great  prairies  rolling  in 
unbroken  majesty  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see.  It  seemed  a 
wonderful  life;  it  was  in  fact  a  life  of  simplicity  and  poverty. 
The  country  schools  were  fine  for  that  day.  Through  slush, 
mud,  snow  and  Kansas  blizzards  I  tramped  one  and  one-half 
mile,  morning  and  evening.  But  the  school-term  lasted  only 
six  months  of  the  year,  and  I  had  a  keen  passion  to  learn  and 
a  voracious  appetite  to  read,  while  there  were  but  few  books  in 
English  in  my  father's  library ;  so,  perforce,  I  literally  learned 
my  schoolbooks  by  heart.  Then  I  turned  to  father's  German 
books,  and  took  up  history,  theology,  poetry,  some  of  the  great 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        167 

dramas,  and  even  the  doctor-book.  I  shall  never  forget  the 
tremendous  upheaval  of  soul  that  Schiller's  poems  and  dramas 
brought  me.  Before  I  was  sixteen,  I  had  read  and  knew  inti- 
mately more  German  literary  masterpieces  than  are  now 
taken  up  in  an  ordinary  college  course.  The  German  Bible 
also  passed  into  my  very  life's  blood.  I  learned  all  its  precious 
stories,  could  repeat  hundreds  of  verses  by  heart,  and  knew 
scores  of  the  old  German  hymns  and  songs.  My  love  for  Ger- 
man literature,  history  and  genius  dates  from  those  years. 

During  all  my  boyhood  days,  I  secretly  nursed  the  hope  of 
becoming  a  minister  some  day.  But  during  the  terrible  crop 
failures  of  the  eighties,  and  the  hardships  and  sacrifices  of 
those  years  in  the  parental  home,  I  despaired  of  ever  being 
able  to  go  to  school ;  so  my  mind  began  to  contemplate  the  ques- 
tion of  getting  into  something  in  which  I  could  make  money. 
When  I  was  about  fourteen  years  old,  Rev.  E.  V.  Gerhart,  D.D., 
president  of  the  Lancaster,  Pa.  Theological  Seminary,  at- 
tended the  dedication  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Abilene,  our 
countyseat.  My  father  took  me  with  him  to  pay  our  respect 
to  the  venerable  old  man.  Suddenly  Dr.  Gerhart  turned  to  me 
and  asked,  And  are  you  going  to  follow  in  your  father's  foot- 
steps and  also  enter  the  sacred  calling  of  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel? In  my  confusion  I  hesitated  a  moment,  and  my  father 
answered :  I  am  afraid  not,  he  wants  to  get  into  something  in 
which  there  is  money.  The  good  doctor  then  spoke  to  me  per- 
sonally for  a  few  moments  on  the  matter.  I  do  not  remember 
a  word  he  said,  but  I  do  know  when  I  left  that  room,  my  mind 
was  determined,  and  my  future  was  settled.  About  a  year  later 
my  father  told  me  one  day  very  quietly  that  he  was  going  to 
send  me  to  Calvin  College,  Cleveland,  Ohio  and  inquired  wheth- 
er I  had  any  particular  profession  for  which  I  wanted  to  pre- 
pare myself.  As  I  look  back  now,  I  see  that  we  both  had  been 
too  reserved  towards  one  another.  I  had  always  felt  drawn 
towards  the  ministry;  he  had  prayed  that  I  might  enter  this 
sacred  calling;  but  we  never  got  together  until  then.  So  in 
September,  1888, 1  started  for  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


168  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

By  heroic  sacrifices  and  endless  self-denials,  father  kept  me 
in  college  for  five  years.  To  this  day,  I  cannot  understand  how 
he  did  it.  The  tears  stand  in  my  eyes  as  I  write  of  it.  If  I 
have  been  of  any  use  in  the  Reformed  Church  it  is  the  love  and 
sacrifice  of  my  dear  parents  to  which  much  of  the  credit  must 

go- 
Knowing  the  price  which  my  parents  were  paying  to  keep 
me  in  school,  I  determined  to  give  them  full  value  by  faithful 
application.  During  the  five  years,  I  stood  at  the  head  of  every 
class,  during  every  month  without  a  break,  graduating  in  June, 
1893,  as  valedictorian.  After  a  year  spent  in  teaching  school 
in  Kansas,  I  entered  the  Theological  Seminary,  Lancaster,  Pa., 
in  the  fall  of  1894,  taking  the  full  three  years'  course.  The 
Biblical  languages  and  church  history  appealed  especially  to 
me.  In  Hebrew  I  took  first  honors.  At  the  graduating  serv- 
ices, I  represented  the  New  Testament  Department  by  reading 
a  thesis  on  the  subject,  "Biblical  Theology  the  Norm  of  Doc- 
trinal Development."  In  a  class  of  twenty-seven,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions graduates  of  various  colleges,  I  ranked  with  the  three 
highest  for  the  entire  three  years. 

A  few  days  after  graduation,  I  was  licensed  by  Lancaster 
Classis  at  Manheim,  Pa.,  and  on  June  27,  1897,  began  my  labors 
in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  as  pastor  of  the  St.  Luke's  Church.  On 
July  25,  a  committee  appointed  by  Wyoming  Classis  ordained 
me  to  the  holy  office  of  the  ministry ;  and  the  prayers  of  my 
parents  were  answered  at  last. 

The  most  important  event  of  that  year,  next  to  my  ordina- 
tion, was  getting  married.  On  November  17,  I  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Elizabeth  Mohr  of  Burbank,  Cal.,  previously  of 
Haskins,  Ohio,  and  a  former  student  at  Calvin  College.  In  the 
course  of  the  years,  four  children  arrived  to  gladden  the  parson- 
age, namely,  Lydia  Aurelia,  Louise  Virgilia,  Katherine  Marie, 
and  Theodore  Karl. 

I  remained  in  my  first  field  for  four  years  and  four  months. 
During  the  last  year,  the  Plymouth  congregation  also  formed 
a  part  of  the  parish.  Both  congregations  were  small,  the  peo- 
ple were  mine  workers  for  the  most  part,  and  the  two  great 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        169 

coal  strikes  in  the  coal  fields  during  those  years  prostrated  in- 
dustries, impoverished  the  people,  and  demoralized  church 
work.  Nevertheless,  175  new  names  were  added  to  the  rolls. 

On  the  first  Sunday  of  November,  1901,  I  began  my  min- 
istry at  New  Philadelphia,  Ohio,  and  remained  there  just  six 
years  to  the  day.  During  this  period  a  church  debt  of  several 
thousand  dollars  was  paid,  a  $3500  parsonage  was  built,  the 
church  was  entirely  renovated,  an  addition  for  the  primary  de- 
partment was  built,  the  benevolences  were  increased  yearly  to 
four  times  the  best  previous  figure,  and  252  new  members  were 
added  to  the  church. 

I  have  always  given  the  best  there  was  in  me  to  my  con- 
gregation, my  classis,  and  my  synod,  and  these  have  not  been 
unappreciative.  During  my  ministry  I  have  been  elected  to  the 
following  church  positions :  President  of  St.  John's  Classis, 
1903-5  ;  Board  of  Trustees  of  Central  Synod,  1904-7  ;  Treasurer 
of  Central  Synod,  1905-6  ;  Treasurer  of  St.  John's  Classis  since 
1905 ;  Board  of  Church  Erection  of  the  three  western  German 
Synods  since  1908 ;  President  of  the  Sunday  School  Board  of 
Central  Synod,  1908-9;  President  of  Central  Synod  1911-12; 
Delegate  to  General  Synod,  1905,  1908,  and  1914.  I  was  also  a 
member  of  the  commission  that  issued  the  "Survey  of  the  Re- 
formed Church,"  and  wrote  the  church  history  section  and  a 
few  other  lessons  for  the  third  volume  of  the  "Advanced  Teach- 
ers' Training  Course,"  besides  being  a  frequent  contributor  to 
the  church  papers  and  other  periodicals. 

In  addition  to  the  college  and  seminary  work  already  men- 
tioned, I  have  pursued  special  work  under  the  direction  of  the 
University  of  Chicago,  in  Old  Testament  prophecy,  and  for 
additional  work  in  sociology,  economics,  and  psychology,  re- 
ceived from  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Philosophy  in  1904,  and  Master  of  Arts  in  1908. 

After  these  unseemly  and  egoistical  wanderings  in  my  per- 
sonal experiences,  we  will  now  return  to  the  more  humble  voca- 
tion of  the  historian. 

The  most  important  events  of  Rev.  Bolliger's  pastorate 
since  1907  can  best  be  presented  by  grouping  them  topically. 


170  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

The  language  question  loomed  up  rather  threateningly  at 
the  beginning.  During  the  three  previous  pastorates  the  Eng- 
lish had  been  introduced  gradually,  until  towards  the  end  of 
Rev.  Nau's  ministry  the  Sunday  School  was  practically  all 
English  with  the  exception  of  the  pastor's  class,  and  all  serv- 
ices* were  English  except  the  Sunday  morning  worship.  When 
the  vote  was  taken  by  the  congregation  a  few  weeks  before 
Rev.  Nau  left  on  the  question  whether  an  English  service 
should  be  introduced  every  two  weeks  in  the  morning  it  was 
carried  by  considerably  more  than  a  two-third's  majority.  The 
consistory  decided  that  the  new  order  should  not  go  into  effect 
until  the  new  pastor  should  take  charge,  and  that  during  the 
vacancy  the  German  morning  services  should  be  continued. 

When  Rev.  Bolliger  began  his  work  and  the  English  serv- 
ice actually  displaced  the  German,  a  very  considerable  feeling 
was  aroused.  Some  threatened  to  boycott  the  English  services 
entirely,  others  vowed  they  would  cut  down  their  subscriptions, 
still  others  forbade  their  children  to  remain  for  the  English 
sermon.  It  was  rather  freely  predicted  by  some  that  the 
church  could  not  pay  its  bills  on  account  of  the  displeasure  of 
the  German  members.  One  old  lady  said  to  the  pastor,  "I'm 
only  going  to  live  a  few  years  yet,  and  so  long  as  I  live,  they 
might  have  kept  up  the  German.  I  don't  care  what  they  do 
after  I'm  dead."  But  subsequent  events  proved  that  the  fear 
of  harm  to  the  congregation  was  groundless.  Not  a  single 
member  stayed  away  on  account  of  the  language  and  not  more 
than  two  or  three  actually  reduced  their  subscriptions.  The 
German  members  have  stood  nobly  by  their  service,  and  have 
made  it  the  service  with  the  highest  average  attendance,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  not  more  than  twenty  Germans  have  been 
added  during  the  past  ten  years,  as  compared  to  592  English. 
Our  German-speaking  members  stick. 

The  pruning  of  the  Church-roll  was  the  next  pressing 
problem.  A  few  weeks  before  Rev.  Bolliger  arrived  in  Can- 
ton, Rev.  Nau  wrote  him  a  letter  of  congratulation  in  which  he 
said :  "The  one  great  problem  for  which  I  could  devise  no  solu- 
tion was  the  awakening  of  the  negligent  ones.  I  tried  my  best 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        171 

and  failed.  I  sincerely  hope  you  may  solve  it  successfully." 
Just  how  serious  a  problem  it  was  the  new  pastor  did  not  real- 
ize until  he  had  visited,  or  tried  to  locate,  every  person  that  was 
found  on  the  roll.  Some  surprises  were  met  during  the  first 
months  of  visiting.  Some  denied  that  they  had  ever  joined  the 
church,  others  declared  they  were  done  with  the  church,  others 
explained  they  had  liked  Rev.  Nau  and  hence  permitted  their 
names  to  be  enrolled  but  did  not  wish  to  be  members  any  longer 
since  he  had  left.  The  large  majority  of  these  "negligent 
ones"  made  profuse  promises  for  the  future. 

The  consistory  and  pastor  then  decided  upon  a  systematic 
campaign  to  win  the  backsliding  ones  back.  Countless  visits 
were  made  by  them  and  committees  of  faithful  men  and 
women.  The  slogan  was  emphasized,  "Every  member  attend- 
ing, working,  praying  and  giving."  (See  Heb.  10 :  25,  Js.  2 : 17, 
1  Thess.  5:17,  Acts  20 :  35.)  No  name  was  removed  from  the 
roll  until  every  means  to  win  them  back  had  been  tried.  The 
consistory  surpassed  in  its  patience  even  the  requirements  of 
our  constitution.  When  finally,  the  process  of  purification  was 
completed,  it  was  found  that  of  the  1046  members  reported  by 
Rev.  Nau  to  Classis  in  1907,  a  total  of  382  had  disappeared. 
Of  this  number  337  simply  did  not  attend  or  support  the  church 
in  any  manner,  at  any  time,  during  the  present  pastorate;  the 
rest  maintained  a  nominal  relation  to  the  church  for  a  while 
and  then  also  had  to  be  dropped. 

The  gap  created  by  these  erasures  has  been  more  than 
filled  by  the  addition  of  338  by  confirmation,  including  the 
youth  of  the  church  and  adults,  and  274  by  reprofession  and 
dismissals  from  other  churches.  The  additions  by  letter  from 
other  churches  have  always  been  rather  small.  The  total  num- 
ber of  members,  according  to  the  last  report  to  classis,  is  1078. 
This  number  also  includes  a  certain  small  group,  whose  names 
are  retained  in  the  hope  that  they  may  again  be  awakened,  and 
become  active  in  the  kingdom  of  our  God. 

Two  dept-paying  campaigns  have  been  carried  to  a  suc- 
cessful conclusion  during  this  pastorate.  The  Sunday  School 
had  offered  to  pay  for  the  improvements  made  in  the  basement 


172  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

in  1905,  amounting  to  nearly  $1700.  When  Rev.  Bolliger  be- 
gan his  pastorate,  this  debt  with  accrued  interest,  still  amounted 
to  about  $1600.  The  Sunday  School,  under  the  enthusiastic 
guidance  of  superintendent  William  Daberko,  at  once  began 
planning  to  pay  off  the  debt,  and  before  the  end  of  the  first 
year  it  was  paid  in  full. 

The  money  borrowed  for  the  improvements  made  in  1906, 
amounting  to  $1087,  was  not  repaid  until  1913.  Before  start- 
ing on  his  vacation  that  year,  Rev.  Bolliger  outlined  a  plan  to 
the  consistory  by  which  it  was  proposed  to  raise  this  amount 
during  October.  Then  the  pastor  left  for  several  weeks.  Lo, 
and  behold !  when  the  parson  returned,  he  was  gladdened  by 
the  news  that  Superintendent  Daberko  had  again  pushed  the 
matter  to  a  successful  conclusion  during  his  absence,  and  the 
entire  debt  was  out  of  the  way. 

At  last  the  church  was  free ! 

The  contributions  of  the  church  have  steadily  increased. 
The  church  raises  funds  for  a  twofold  purpose ;  namely,  for  the 
local  congregational  expenses,  and  for  the  support  of  the  benev- 
olent enterprises  of  our  denomination.  In  the  nine  and  one- 
half  years  of  Rev.  Bolliger's  pastorate  a  total  of  $41,084  has 
been  raised  for  congregational  purposes,  and  $9881  for  benev- 
olence. This  would  be  an  average  of  $4319  for  ourselves,  and 
$1040  for  others,  annually.  The  lowest  amount  given  during 
the  period  annually  for  congregational  purposes  was  $3361 ; 
the  highest  was  $6348.  The  lowest  benevolent  offerings  were 
given  during  the  first  year  amounting  to  $570;  the  highest 
were  $1626. 

In  order  to  see  clearly  the  handsome  increase  in  the  con- 
tributions of  the  congregation,  the  average  for  the  last  eight 
years  of  Rev.  Nau's  pastorate  will  be  given  by  way  of  com- 
parison. For  congregational  purposes  including  the  cost  of 
the  Sunday  School  addition  the  average  was  $4304 ;  for  benev- 
olent purposes  $474.  It  will  thus  be  evident  that  the  spirit  of 
sacrifice  which  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  has  increased  very  sub- 
stantially. 


O  .£> 

«  "o 
a  e 


REV  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        173 

Many  improvements  on  the  church  property  have  also 
been  made.  The  basement  has  been  re-frescoed  and  re-var- 
nished two  times,  several  new  toilet  rooms  were  installed  and 
the  heating  plant  thoroughly  overhauled.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  1910,  the  entire  church  was  re-laid  with  a  heavy  Brus- 
sels carpet  at  an  expense  of  $1400.  Several  years  later,  a  new 
roof  was  put  on  the  entire  Sunday  School  wing  of  the  build- 
ing. The  most  thorough  renovation  which  the  building  has 
ever  received  was  given  it  in  1916.  The  entire  building  was 
frescoed  and  re-decorated,  the  woodwork  was  stained  to  a  dark 
oak,  the  pews  were  refinished  in  dark  oak,  and  a  new  lighting 
system  was  installed.  The  old  chandeliers  with  their  unpro- 
tected electric  lights  so  trying  to  the  eyes  were  removed,  and 
replaced  with  an  indirect  system  most  agreeable  to  the  eyes  and 
most  beautiful  in  its  artistic  effects.  The  exterior  of  the 
church  was  also  thoroughly  repaired  and  painted,  and  a  new 
roof  placed  on  the  older  portion  of  the  building.  The  total 
expense  of  the  entire  work  amounted  to  nearly  $3000.  In 
order  to  keep  the  church  property  in  good  condition,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  expend  an  average  of  about  $450  a  year  in  repairs. 
Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  transformation  of  the  old 
cemetery  into  a  little  park.  In  1909,  maple  trees  were  set  out, 
which  in  a  few  years  will  transform  the  old  "God's  acre" 
into  as  pretty  a  spot  as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  Canton. 

The  temperance  agitations,  which  have  swept  over  Ohio 
during  the  last  few  years,  have  not  left  the  First  Church  with- 
out profound  modifications.  In  previous  chapters  it  has  been 
shown  that  the  traditions  and  affiliations  of  the  congregation 
have  not  always  been  very  "dry."  When  the  committee  delegat- 
ed by  the  consistory  of  the  church  to  interview  Rev.  Bolliger 
at  New  Philadelphia,  as  to  his  willingness  to  consider  a 
call  to  Canton,  he  very  frankly  informed  them  that  he 
believed  in  total  abstinence  as  the  duty  and  ideal  of  a  Chris- 
tian, that  he  preached  his  convictions  without  hesitation,  and 
would  continue  to  do  so  wherever  he  was  pastor;  and  hence 
had  his  doubts  as  to  whether  they  really  desired  to  consider 
him.  The  committee  informed  him  that  the  consistory  had 


174  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

discussed  that  very  point;  but  had  nevertheless  unanimously 
resolved  to  present  his  name  to  the  congregation  for  election 
as  pastor.  By  a  peculiar  coincidence,  the  second  Sunday  School 
lesson  that  the  new  pastor  had  to  teach  was  on  temperance; 
namely,  Rom.  4:  12-23,  and  he  very  candidly,  yet  as  consider- 
ately as  possible,  stated  just  what  his  convictions  were  in  the 
matter.  The  same  convictions  were  also  freely  expressed  in 
his  pulpit  utterances.  The  members  seemed  to  accept  this 
sort  of  preaching  very  patiently;  the  only  criticisms  heard 
were  from  hardened  backsliders  and  rank  outsiders. 

In  1909,  came  the  first  great  fight  for  county  local  option. 
Rev.  Bolliger  presented  the  cause  from  the  pulpit,  and  private- 
ly. As  the  campaign  progressed,  the  situation  in  Canton  be- 
came very  tense.  Attacks  were  made  upon  the  church,  the 
consistory  and  the  pastor  in  the  local  German  paper,  and  copied 
throughout  the  state  by  the  German  press.  At  first  these 
attacks  were  simply  ignored.  Emboldened  by  the  silence  of 
the  pastor,  a  number  of  articles  were  inserted  in  the  German 
paper  that  were  offensive  and  scurrilous.  The  editor  very 
freely  offered  Rev.  Bolliger  all  the  space  he  might  desire  to 
answer  these  communications.  A  merry  warfare  ensued.  A 
few  quotations  from  the  retorts  which  he  published,  may  be 
of  interest  as  indicating  the  intensity  of  the  situation:  "The 
statements  as  made  are  absolute  lies.  The  article  is  filled  with 
senseless  folly,  inaccuracies,  and  ignorance  of  the  most  com- 
mon facts  of  history  and  Christianity.  The  writer  lacks  even 
the  most  elementary  conception  of  the  real  meaning  of  Chris- 
tianity." Notice  was  also  given  that  any  further  articles  con- 
taining statements  of  a  slanderous  nature  against  Rev.  Bolliger, 
or  his  church,  would  start  something  that  would  put  an  effective 
stop  to  them.  Thus  ended  the  newspaper  controversy. 

Some  of  the  "wet"  sympathizers  within  the  fold,  then  be- 
gan to  agitate  the  matter  of  silencing  the  preacher,  among  their 
fellow  members.  This  gave  occasion  to  the  preaching  of  two 
special  sermons  at  the  climax  of  the  excitement.  In  one  of 
these  Rev.  Bolliger  said:  "If  it  were  ever  possible  for  the  time 
to  come,  when  I  cannot  stand  in  my  pulpit,  and  preach  on  any 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        175 

subject  whatsover  that  seems  necessary,  in  any  manner  that 
seems  most  effective,  and  hit  just  as  hard  as  the  case  requires; 
then,  I  can  always  quit  the  pulpit,  and  go  out  and  haul  manure, 
and  raise  cabbage  heads,  successfully."  The  agitators  evident- 
ly concluded  that  there  was  no  telling  what  the  parson  might 
start,  and  hence  sweet  tranquility  gradually  settled  down  on 
the  troubled  waters.  Since  then  there  have  been  two  other 
campaigns  for  state-wide  prohibition ;  each  time  the  issues 
were  freely  discussed  from  the  pulpit,  and  the  men  urged  to 
help  "Make  Ohio  Dry." 

Throughout  these  eight  years  of  the  most  intense  temper- 
ance agitation  that  the  state  and  our  community  has  ever 
known,  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  persons  have  actually  with- 
drawn from  the  church  on  account  of  the  pastor's  advocacy  of 
the  prohibition  movement,  and  none  of  these  had  been  very 
active  as  members.  Furthermore,  during  these  years,  not  one 
member  has  ever  protested  to  the  pastor  personally  against 
the  position  which  he  occupied. 

The  temperance  question  in  the  First  Reformed  Church  is 
settled.  It  is  not  possible  ever  again,  to  even  consider  a  return 
to  the  former  ways  and  practices. 

The  "Billy  Sunday"  Campaign  during  January  and  Feb- 
ruary of  1912  also  marked  an  epoch  in  the  congregation. 

The  consistory  had  unanimously  decided  to  co-operate 
with  the  other  churches  of  Canton  in  carrying  through  the 
union  evangelistic  campaign  under  Mr.  Sunday's  direction. 
Rev.  Bolliger  had  cautioned  them  that  "Billy  Sunday"  had  a 
way  of  stirring  folks  up,  arousing  their  resentment,  and  mak- 
ing the  "wets"  especially  gnash  their  teeth.  Nevertheless,  all 
were  in  favor  of  his  coming. 

As  the  time  set  for  the  campaign  approached,  the  forces 
of  unrighteousness  united  in  a  fierce  campaign  of  intimidation. 
The  men  in  business,  who  were  members  of  the  First  Church, 
were  signalled  out  for  bitter  attacks.  The  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  School  had  to  hear  the  angry  snarl  again  and  again : 
We  will  never  buy  another  cent's  worth  of  goods  from  you. 
The  grocery  keepers  were  told :  You  can't  support  Billy  Sun- 


176  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

day  and  do  business  with  us.  It  was  intimated  to  the  pastor: 
Unless  you  keep  quiet  we  will  injure  you  as  much  as  possible. 
The  week  before  the  campaign  opened  these  threats  reached 
their  climax.  A  few  quotations  from  an  address  which  Rev. 
Bolliger  delivered  several  times,  immediately  after  the  close  of 
the  campaign,  while  the  experiences  were  still  frsh  in  the 
mind,  will  best  set  forth  this  phase  of  the  attack.  "Several  of 
the  men  of  the  consistory  got  cold  feet  and  wanted  to  quit; 
faithful  old  stand-bys  were  frightened  and  said:  Its  going  to 
break  up  the  church;  others  declared:  The  preacher  had  no 
business  getting  us  into  anything  like  this.  When  the  matter 
was  put  up  to  me  by  an  elder,  I  said :  Tell  them  they  can't  quit 
now;  they  can't  back  down;  they  have  to  go  through  with  it. 
I'm  going  to  fight  it  through  to  a  finish.  But  I  will  promise 
you  this  right  now,  when  the  campaign  is  over,  if  it  is  the  hon- 
est belief  of  the  congregation  that  the  church  has  been  injured, 
I  will  hand  in  my  resignation  at  once.  I  will  not  embarrass  you. 
We  will  not  quarrel.  We  will  just  kiss,  and  say  good-bye,  in 
perfect  peace." 

Then  the  campaign  began,  and  in  a  few  days  "Billy"  had 
won  the  town.  In  about  two  weeks,  men  in  the  congregation, 
who  had  vowed  not  to  attend  a  single  meeting,  could  be  seen 
standing  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  at  twelve  o'clock,  so  as 
to  make  sure  of  a  seat  at  the  two  o'clock  men's  meeting.  And 
as  for  the  sisters  who  had  sputtered  loudest  against  "Billy's 
slang,"  they  could  be  seen  hurrying  up  North  Market  Street 
with  the  red-book  in  their  hands,  going  so  fast,  an  ordinary 
young  person  could  never  catch  up  with  them. 

As  for  the  results  in  the  congregation,  they  were  good. 
More  than  a  hundred  members  reconsecrated  themselves  to 
the  service  of  God;  about  a  score  united  with  the  church  of 
whom  we  had  known  nothing  before;  and  at  least  seventy, 
whom  the  pastor  and  members  had  tried  unsuccessfully  to 
bring  to  the  point  of  decision  before,  became  so  awakened  spir- 
itually, that  it  was  now  easy  to  win  them.  Other  beneficial 
results  also  followed:  the  average  attendance  of  the  Sunday 
School  took  a  great  leap  forward ;  the  missionary  society  had 


REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH       177 

a  tidal  wave  of  applicants  who  wanted  to  become  active ;  men 
and  women  came  forward  to  offer  themselves  as  Sunday  School 
teachers;  the  prayer  meetings  took  on  new  life;  and,  for  a 
while  at  least,  religion  became  the  chief  thing. 

To  be  sure,  the  waters  sank  back  into  quieter  channels 
again ;  some  who  started  out  most  enthusiastically  have  grown 
cold  once  more ;  but,  those  who  got  close  to  the  work  in  those 
days,  still  testify  to  the  abiding  blessing  which  the  campaign 
brought  them. 

Looking  back  after  five  years,  the  author  is  still  ready  to 
stand  by  the  estimate  of  the  movement  which  he  made  in  the 
address  already  referred  to:  "In  that  tabernacle  originated  the 
mightiest,  religious  upheaval  that  Canton  has  ever  had.  The 
dry-bones  in  the  churches  rattled  like  three-score  Dutch  wind- 
mills in  a  storm.  The  brethren  were  shot  so  full  of  holes,  they 
looked  like  a  thirteen-cent  sieve  after  seven  years  usage.  The 
animals  were  aroused,  and  gnashed  their  teeth,  like  a  herd  of 
demons  devouring  a  lost  soul.  Sinners  were  pounded  until 
they  cursed,  and  pounded  more  until  they  groaned,  and  pound- 
ed again  until  they  cried:  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 
Impulses  were  received  whose  full  fruitage  only  eternity  will 
reveal.  Lives  were  made  over  and  are  already  blessing  others." 

The  entire  membership  had  become  so  interested  before 
the  end  of  the  campaign  was  reached,  that  no  one  ever  recalled 
that  the  parson  had  offered  to  resign,  if  it  were  thought  that  the 
church  had  suffered  loss. 

Though  this  chapter  will  not  be  the  last  in  the  completed 
book,  it  is  the  last  to  be  written.  In  closing  his  long  and  ardu- 
ous task  the  author  would  again  drop  into  the  first  person  for 
a  few  "closing  remarks." 

The  writing  of  this  book  has  been  purely  a  labor  of  love, 
undertaken  to  acquaint  our  membership  with  some  of  the  stir- 
ring scenes,  through  which  our  congregation  has  passed.  Had 
I  correctly  estimated,  at  the  beginning,  the  tremendous  difficul- 
ties to  be  surmounted,  I  could  hardly  have  mustered  up  cour- 
age enough  to  begin.  I  was  determined  not  to  let  the  work  of 
the  parish  suffer  on  account  of  these  historical  investigations, 
12 


178  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

and  so  robbed  myself  of  many  hours  of  sleep  and  recreation. 
But,  if  the  narrative  awakens  in  the  heart  of  the  members  an 
interest  in  their  splendid  history,  a  deeper  love  to  their  church, 
and  a  greater  loyalty  to  the  kingdom  of  God ;  then,  indeed,  am 
I  richly  rewarded. 

I  have  given  to  Canton  nearly  ten  of  the  best  years  of  my 
life,  and  have  received  abundant  evidence  that  the  love  and 
affection  of  the  people  is  mine. 

216  times  have  I  heard  the  tinkling  of  the  wedding  bells,  and 
seen  the  newly  married  couple  go  forth  facing  the  future 
with  shining  face. 

253  times  have  I  baptized  little  children,  and  consecrated  them 

to  God  and  his  church. 
284  times  have  I  stood  beside  the  open  grave  and  repeated  the 

mournful  words:   "Earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust 

to  dust." 
612  new  members  have  I  received  into  the  church,  of  whom  the 

greater  part  have  remained  faithful  and  active  until 

now;   but  some,  alas,  have  fallen  away.      The  church 

has  become  stronger,  more  liberal,  more  efficient.     To 

God  be  all  the  glory ! 

Not  only  has  our  own  church  prospered  but  all  the  relig- 
ious forces  of  Canton  have  great  gains  to  record.  Ten  years 
ago  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  could  hardly  exist 
at  all;  today  it  has  a  fine,  well  equipped,  $250,000  building 
with  a  total  membership  surpassed  by  only  half  a  dozen  cities 
of  the  country.  The  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 
has  a  record  scarcely  less  laudable.  All  the  churches  have 
grown.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  another  city  the  size  of 
Canton  containing  so  many  up-to-date  church  edifices,  occupied 
by  so  large  and  aggressive  congregations.  In  the  matter  of 
big  and  enthusiastic  Sunday  Schools  no  other  city  surpasses 
Canton. 

In  material  prosperity  and  growth  of  population,  these  ten 
years  mark  an  amazing  development.  There  are  now  more 
than  three  hundred  factories,  producing  over  a  thousand  dif- 


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REV.  T.  P.  BOLLIGER  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH        179 

ferent  products,  and  employing  18,000  persons,  with  a  month- 
ly payroll  of  $1,000,000.  Canton  is  a  city  of  homes;  most  of 
our  72,000  citizens  dwell  by  their  own  hearth  and  beneath  their 
own  rooftree.  New  people  are  constantly  pouring  in,  lured 
by  the  hope  of  good  wages  offered  by  the  multiplying  indus- 
tries. This  gives  the  pastors  ever  increasing  numbers  to  win 
for  Christ  and  the  Church. 

In  industrial  centers  such  as  Canton  all  religious  work  is 
beset  with  many  difficulties,  but  our  heavenly  Father  has 
always  granted  a  sufficient  measure  of  success  to  faithful  effort, 
to  keep  courage  and  go  forward. 

The  members  of  the  consistory  have  always  supported  the 
pastor  most  loyally,  and  co-operated  with  him  most  willingly. 
The  present  consistory  consists  of  the  following  men :  Elders : 
J.  C.  Feldheimer,  William  Feller,  Alfred  Raber,  Chs.  Seemann, 
Godfrey  Snyder,  Adam  Thomas.  Deacons:  H.  J.  Boldt,  F. 
W.  Buchman,  J.  F.  H.  Deibel,  Aug.  Daberko,  H.  K.  Fenwick, 
Albert  Frey,  N.  O.  Hexamer,  William  Hohler,  E.  E.  Link,  O. 
J.  Lotz,  John  Marquardt,  Frank  Smith. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

NONE  of  the  records  of  the  Sunday  School  during  the  first 
sixty  years  of  its  existence  have  come  down  to  us.  In- 
deed it  is  probable  that  during  most  of  this  period  no  written 
records  were  kept.  The  exact  date  of  the  founding  of  the  Can- 
ton School  can  no  longer  be  determined.  The  minutes  of  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Ohio  Classis  in  1820  contain  the  statement 
that  the  Canton  charge  had  ten  congregations  and  eight  Sunday 
Schools.  Since  Canton  had  the  largest  congregation  at  that 
date,  it  is  certain  that  there  was  also  a  Sunday  School.  Though 
it  is  not  possible  to  show  any  written  proof  for  the  assertion  it 
is  at  least  very  probable  that  the  Sunday  School  was  organized 
about  the  same  time  as  the  congregation.  From  1812  on,  Rev. 
Mahnenschmidt  visited  the  Canton  field  regularly,  and  con- 
ducted catechetical  classes  and  divine  services.  He  would  not 
fail  to  provide  some  means  of  teaching  the  young,  during  the 
long  intervals  between  his  visits.  Hence,  the  year  1812  may  be 
accepted  as  marking  the  humble  beginnings  of  the  present  pros- 
perous school. 

Originally  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  and  religion  was  not 
emphasized  as  it  is  now.  The  Sunday  School  was  at  first 
looked  upon  as  a  convenient  arrangement,  for  teaching  the 
scholars  to  read  and  understand  enough  of  the  German  lan- 
guage, so  that  they  could  learn  the  chief  question  of  the  cate- 
chism in  the  mother  tongue.  As  the  scholars  acquired  some 
facility  in  reading,  the  Bible  was  placed  in  their  hands  as  the 
only  text  book.  Rev.  Benjamin  Faust  was  an  enthusiastic 
Sunday  School  man  and  worker  for  the  general  distribution  of 
the  Bible.  In  1827,  he  was  vice-president  of  the  Stark  County 
Bible  Society,  whose  avowed  purpose  was  to  put  a  copy  of  the 
Word  of  God  into  every  home  of  the  county. 

The  general  plan  and  purpose  of  the  Sunday  School  con- 
tinued without  change  until  the  time  of  the  new-measure  move- 
ISO 


§  II 


I     a 


THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  181 

ment.  That  movement  forced  the  congregations  to  put  a  larger 
emphasis  upon  the  religious  and  spiritual  aspects  of  the  Sunday 
School  work.  But  the  ideals  did  not  rise  very  high  in  the  de- 
mands made  upon  the  character  of  the  teachers ;  for  even  as 
late  as  1880,  the  chief  requisite  seems  to  have  been  the  ability 
to  teach  the  German  language.  If  the  individual  was  able  to 
do  that,  saloon-keepers  or  bar-tenders  were  accepted  as  teachers 
without  arousing  any  serious  antagonism. 

The  Sunday  School  was  entirely  German  until  the  close 
of  Rev.  Herbruck's  pastorate.  When  English  services  were 
introduced  at  the  beginning  of  Rev.  Rust's  labors,  English 
classes  were  also  formed  in  the  school,  although  the  opening 
service  and  the  singing  were  still  conducted  in  German.  The 
number  of  English  classes  gradually  increased ;  for  the  younger 
generation  was  nearly  all  English.  The  phenomenal  wave  of 
German  immigration  to  Ohio  reached  its  crest  even  before  Rev. 
Herbruck  had  closed  his  labors.  Within  a  decade,  the  number 
of  Germans  coming  to  Canton  had  shrunk  to  quite  insignificant 
proportions.  Hence,  the  amount  of  English  used  in  the  school 
increased  very  rapidly.  From  1886  to  1916  the  school  has 
grown  from  an  all-German  to  an  all-English  organization,  with 
the  exception  of  the  German  class  taught  by  the  pastor,  whose 
membership  is  made  up,  for  the  most  part,  of  individuals  of 
German  and  Swiss  birth. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  transition  period,  the  super- 
intendent had  to  be  German ;  then  an  English  and  a  German 
superintendent  were  appointed,  and  co-operated  in  conducting 
the  school ;  then  the  German  superintendent  was  dropped. 

The  names  of  all  the  early  superintendents  have  disap- 
peared in  the  mists  of  the  past.  It  is  no  longer  possible  to 
secure  the  names  even  of  the  superintendents  during  the  latter 
part  of  Rev.  Herbruck's  pastorate.  Probably  the  reason  why 
their  personalities  did  not  impress  themselves  upon  the  memory 
of  the  older  members  who  are  still  in  the  church,  is  to  be  found 
in  the  fact  that  in  those  days  the  place  filled  by  the  superin- 
tendent was  rather  insignificant,  and  the  further  fact  that  the 
school  was  looked  upon  as  being  intended  only  for  the  children 


182  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

and  young  folks,  and  hence,  the  adult  portion  of  the  congrega- 
tion hardly  knew  who  was  acting  as  superintendent. 

During  the  last  third  of  a  century  the  following  superin- 
tendents have  served : 

German  English 

Christoph  Leonhart  1885—90  Phil  Weber  1890 — 91 

Alfred  Raber  1891—99  J.  F.  H.  Deibel  1892—99 

Fred  Schweitzer  1900  Howard  Dine  1900 

Alfred  Raber  1901—04  William  Daberko  1901— 

The  school  is  now  divided  into  the  following  departments : 
Primary,  Junior,  Intermediate,  Adult,  and  Home.  A  Cradle 
Roll  of  125  members  is  also  maintained.  The  points  of  effi- 
ciency of  a  front-line  school,  as  generally  recognized  in  the 
Sunday  School  world,  have  all  been  attained. 

The  benevolent  spirit  has  been  carefully  fostered,  and  large 
gifts  are  annually  offered.  Five  regular  special  days  are  ob- 
served each  year,  namely:  Foreign  Mission,  Children's  Day, 
Rally  Day,  Home  Mission,  and  Christmas.  As  a  rule,  the  Chil- 
dren's Day  offering  is  given  to  the  Sunday  School  extension 
work  of  the  Reformed  Church;  the  Christmas  offering  to  the 
Fort  Wayne  Orphans'  Home ;  the  beneficiary  of  the  Rally  Day 
offering  is  designated  by  the  teachers  themselves;  while  the 
mission-day  offerings  are  sent  to  the  respective  boards  conduct- 
ing the  work.  The  Easter  offering  is  divided  between  home 
and  foreign  missions. 

Since  1910,  the  school  has  also  emphasized  the  Birthday 
offerings.  Each  member  is  sent  a  card  of  congratulation  on  his 
birthday  with  a  little  envelope  into  which  an  offering  may  be 
put.  From  these  offerings  a  $500  church  erection  fund  has  al- 
ready been  given  to  the  Board  of  Church  Erection  of  the  three 
German  Synods.  These  offerings  since  November  of  1914, 
have  been  devoted  to  the  making  of  a  monthly  payment  of  $20 
on  the  lots  which  were  purchased  for  the  site  of  the  fourth  Re- 
formed church  in  Canton.  A  second  $500  church  erection 
fund  has  also  been  given  by  Mrs.  Fred  Narwold,  a  member  of 
the  school,  in  memory  of  her  mother,  Mrs.  Sophia  Benecker, 
who  was  killed  on  Sunday  morning,  July  6,  1912,  while  cross- 


THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  183 

ing  the  railroad  tracks  on  her  way  to  Sunday  School,  where  she 
was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  German  Bible  class. 

Special  offerings  for  benevolence  are  also  frequently  taken. 
Aid  has  thus  been  extended  to  war  sufferers,  flood  sufferers, 
hospitals,  Salvation  Army,  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Bible  Society,  Harbor 
Mission,  Winnebago  Indians,  etc.,  etc.  The  total,  for  benevo- 
lence alone,  during  the  last  five  years,  1911-1916,  reached  the 
handsome  sum  of  $3132. 

Neither  has  the  school  been  unmindful  of  the  local  congre- 
gational needs.  Many  hundreds  of  dollars  have  been  con- 
tributed towards  rebuilding,  repairing,  renovating,  re-carpeting, 
Sunday  School  furniture  and  equipment,  etc.,  etc. 

The  growth  of  the  school  numerically  can  be  given  only 
from  the  time  when  Canton  formed  a  parish  by  itself,  and  the 
statistics  of  the  Canton  School  appear  in  the  published  minutes 
of  the  Synod.  Beginning  with  1875  the  enrollment  at  the  end 
of  each  five-year  period  is  given :  1875,  200 ;  1880,  250 ;  1885, 
300;  1890,  300;  1895,  475;  1900,  420;  1905,  750;  1910,  780; 
1915,  950. 

The  school  in  recent  years  has  been  especially  fortunate  in 
having  a  splendid  corps  of  workers.  Many  of  the  teachers 
have  served  for  years  with  great  ability  and  conscientiousness. 
The  measure  of  success  which  the  school  has  had  is  due  entirely 
to  the  faithful  efforts  of  the  teachers  and  officers. 

At  the  present  time  (January  1917)  the  working  force  con- 
sists of.  17  officers  and  36  teachers  whose  names  are  recorded 
below. 

OFFICERS 

WILLIAM    DABERKO Superintendent 

H.  A.  DEIBEL Assistant  Superintendent 

AUGUST  SCHWITZGEBEL Secretary. 

LAWRENCE  OFFENBURGER Senior  Secretary 

WARREN  LINK Junior  Secretary 

LESTER  H.  HIGGINS Treasurer 

EMMA  GRETHER Rec.  Secretary 

CARL  E.  SNYDER Birthday  Secretary 

C.  R.  BROWNEWELL Librarian 

CARL  RARER  Assistant  Librarian 

ETHEL  C.  MILLER..  ..Pianist 


184  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

MRS.  PAULINE  BEITER Supt.  Cradle  Roll 

MRS.  KATHERINE  RICH Assistant  Supt.  Cradle  Roll 

MRS.  FRED  BOYDELATOUR Supt.  Home  Dept. 

MRS.  WM.  GEHRING Assistant  Superintendent 

ANNA  ENZMANN Supt.  Primary  Department 

HAZEL  TROUTNER Secretary  Primary  DepL 

MRS.  R.  W.  DOURM Visitor  Home  Dept. 

MRS.  EMMA  TROUTNER Visitor  Home  Dept 

JOHN  MARQUARDT Usher 

CLARENCE  BAAB  Usher 

H.  K.  FENWICK Usher 

TEACHERS 

Letta  Anderson,  Martha  Lahm, 

Mrs.  Sam.  Bachtel,  Thomas  Leahy, 

Minnie  Baab,  Estella  A.  Miller, 

Gertrude  Biller,  Clara  L.  Miller, 

Mrs.  D.  M.  Binns,  Leah  Neher, 

Aurelia  Bolliger,  Pauline  Nelson, 

Rev.  Theo.  P.  Bolliger,  Estella  L.  Narwold, 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bolliger,  Hilda  Nelson, 

Grace  Boydelatour,  Mary  Offenburger, 

J.  F.  H.  Deibel,  Faith  E.  Pecher, 

Mrs.  H.  A.  Deibel,  Amelia  Riniker, 

Ruth  Feldheimer,  Elsie  Schaub, 

Elsie  Fisher,  Chas.  Seemann, 

Mrs.  Emma  Frank,  Florence  M.  Studcr, 

Emma  Grether,  Pearl  Snyder, 

N.  O.  Hexamer,  Mrs.  Katherine  M.  Thorn, 

Wm.  G.  Hohler,  Mrs.  Adam  Thomas, 

Blanche  Hohler,  Mrs.  Albert  Trachsel. 


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CHAPTER  XXIV 
THE  SINGING,  THE  ORGANS,  AND  THE  CHOIR 

THE  congregational  singing  during  the  first  thirty  years 
would  be  judged  as  very  crude  from  the  modern  stand- 
point, for  there  were  neither  songbooks  nor  musical  instru- 
ments. The  early  members  had  come  from  various  parts  of 
Germany  and  Switzerland,  as  well  as  from  various  eastern 
states.  Though  a  German  hymnal  was  apt  to  be  a  part  of  the 
family  possessions,  the  chances  were  that  hardly  two  would  be 
alike.  Under  such  conditions  the  only  solution  of  the  difficulty 
was  for  the  minister  to  first  read  the  stanzas  to  be  sung,  and 
then  read  them  again  line  by  line,  waiting  between  lines  for  the 
congregation  to  sing  them.  In  many  cases  the  minister  also 
had  to  be  the  leader  of  the  singing.  This  was  a  very  consider- 
able additional  burden  to  him,  as  Dr.  Buettner  testifies,  "When 
there  is  no  one  to  lead  the  singing,  which  happens  frequently, 
then  the  minister  must  almost  contract  consumption  on  account 
of  his  much  singing  and  preaching."  (See  Chapter  IX.) 

About  1840,  a  union  hymn  book  for  Reformed  and  Luther- 
an congregations  was  introduced,  and  three  years  later  an  organ 
was  bought.  "It  had  only  five  registers  and  was  entirely  too 
small,"  but  its  use  so  stimulated  the  desire  for  better  singing 
that  the  first  choir  was  organized.  About  1850,  George  Deuble 
became  the  director  of  the  choir  and  the  organist,  and  remained 
in  this  position  for  35  years,  serving  for  most  of  the  period 
without  salary. 

The  first  organ  served  for  thirteen  years,  and  then  was  dis- 
placed by  a  fine  new  instrument.  Rev.  Herbruck  waxes  quite 
enthusiastic  in  his  description  of  the  new  acquisition  saying: 
"The  present  organ  has  thirteen  registers  and  is  put  up  in  an 
elegant  style.  It  has  a  beautiful  sound,  and  its  internal  con- 
struction is  so  convenient,  that  I  never  saw  an  organ  to  equal  it. 
If  anything  should  get  out  of  order,  one  can  with  the  greatest 
ease  come  to  any  pipe  or  to  any  of  its  mechanical  parts."  The 

185 


186  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

organ  was  dedicated  on  Sunday,  July  13,  1856.  The  church 
was  crowded  and  "the  well-practiced  choir  sang."  Rev.  D. 
Kaemmerrer,  pastor  of  the  Orrville  church,  preached  on  the 
text  Psalm  147 :  7,  and  Rev.  Buckingham  of  the  Canton  Presby- 
terian Church  chose  Psalm  98:  5.  When  the  Reformed  con- 
gregation separated  from  the  Lutheran  in  1862,  the  right  of  the 
Reformed  people  in  this  second  organ  had  to  be  surrendered  to 
the  Lutherans. 

A  third  organ  was  purchased  for  the  new  church,  and  in- 
stalled in  the  exact  middle  of  the  gallery.  As  money  was  scarce 
only  the  most  necessary  parts  were  bought  at  first.  The  organ 
was  used  in  this  incomplete  condition  for  seven  years.  In 
1869,  the  consistory  sent  "for  the  pipes  and  keys  necessary  to 
finish  the  organ,  at  an  additional  cost  of  $322."  During  Rev. 
Rust's  pastorate,  the  organ  was  removed  from  the  gallery  and 
placed  in  the  front  of  the  auditorium,  into  the  addition  which 
had  been  built  for  the  purpose.  The  instrument  was  also  re- 
built and  enlarged.  During  the  following  pastorate,  the  organ 
was  again  improved  by  adding  two  registers  at  an  expense  of 
$175.  Just  before  Rev.  Nau  began  his  labors  the  organ  was 
given  another  improvement  which  cost  $230.00,  and  a  motor 
was  installed  a  little  later.  The  old  familiar  handle  that  had 
worked  the  bellows  for  thirty-five  years  thus  entered  into  its 
well-deserved  rest. 

Eight  years  later  an  agitation  began  in  the  congregation 
for  a  new  and  modern  pipe  organ.  The  purchase  of  such  an 
instrument  became  possible  in  1905  through  the  generosity  of 
the  heirs  of  Henry  A.  Rupp,  an  old  and  faithful  member  of  the 
congregation,  who  contributed  $1000.  An  additional  $1500 
was  given  by  Andrew  Carnegie.  These  two  gifts  with  the  ad- 
dition of  $600  given  by  the  members,  and  $500  allowed  for  the 
old  organ,  made  it  possible  to  install  the  handsome  and  emi- 
nently satisfactory  instrument  still  in  use.* 


*  This  instrument  was  built  by  the  A.  J.  Schantz  Organ  Company, 
Orrville,  Ohio.  The  old  organ  was  then  entirely  rebuilt  by  the  Schantz 
Company,  and  sold  to  the  First  Christian  Church  of  New  Philadelphia, 
Ohio,  where  it  is  still  in  constant  use. 


THE  SINGING,  THE  ORGANS,  AND  THE  CHOIR        187 

The  organ  was  dedicated  Jan.  28,  1906.  The  sermons 
were  preached  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bosch,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  who 
spoke  on  the  last  Psalm  in  German,  and  Rev.  E.  S.  Neikirk, 
then  pastor  of  the  Wooster,  Ohio,  church,  whose  text  was  Rev. 
5 :  9,  "And  they  sung  a  new  song."  The  concert  given  by  the 
choir  the  following  Tuesday  was  declared  "the  finest  ever  given 
in  the  church." 

From  the  time  of  its  organization  down  to  the  present,  the 
choir  has  been  one  of  the  most  pleasing  and  efficient  aids 
to  the  worship  through  song.  Though  during  these  seventy 
years  it  has  passed  through  numerous  ups  and  downs,  and 
changes  of  personnel,  the  congregation  has  never  lacked  a 
group  of  willing  singers  sacrificing  time  and  talent  to  aid  the 
public  worship.  Many  a  successful,  well-attended,  and  finan- 
cially remunerative  concert  has  also  been  given.  Tradition 
still  bears  witness  to  the  "wonderful  singers  of  bygone  days  and 
the  ability  of  the  old  choir  in  song."  The  congregation  cer- 
tainly is  indebted  to  them. 

The  list  of  organists  who  have  served  is  as  follows :  George 
Deuble,  1850-1886 ;  L.  A.  Clewell,  1886-189S ;  H.  J.  Ballard 
1898-1914.  Ervin  L.  Leslie,  1914—.  The  first  three  men 
served  as  choir-directors  as  well  as  organists,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  brief  periods  when  different  directors  assisted.  Three 
directors,  however,  have  served  for  longer  periods,  namely :  T. 
Dillwyn  Thomas,  1914-15 ;  Aubrey  W.  Barlow,  1915-16 ;  J.  S. 
Stoner,  1916—. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
THE  GERMAN  SCHOOL 

*"1^HE  large  German  immigration  from  1860-80,  which 
*  brought  many  new  residents  to  Canton  from  Germany 
and  Switzerland,  meant  a  corresponding  increase  of  members 
for  the  Canton  Church.  Even  before  the  new  church  dedicated 
in  1862  had  been  quite  paid  for,  the  project  of  building  a 
schoolhouse  was  launched.  The  members  took  enthusiastical- 
ly to  the  idea  of  having  a  parochial  school,  in  which  their  be- 
loved mothertongue  could  be  taught.  A  frame  building  was 
erected  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  church  ground,  on  the 
site  which  is  now  covered  by  the  Sunday  School  room. 

No  written  records  concerning  the  school,  or  the  teachers 
and  their  length  of  service,  have  been  preserved.  It  has  been 
necessary  to  gather  the  facts  largely  from  the  recollections  of 
the  pupils  who  attended  the  school.  The  length  of  service  and 
the  time  assigned  to  each  teacher  are  only  approximately  cor- 
rect. The  first  teacher's  name  could  not  be  ascertained,  though 
he  taught  for  two  years,  from  1866-7. 

As  the  second  teacher  the  congregation  was  peculiarly  for- 
tunate in  securing  Theodore  Mueller,  who  had  been  born  in 
Stargard,  Mecklenburg-Strelitz,  Germany,  and  received  his 
education  there.  Upon  arriving  in  Canton,  he  was  engaged  to 
teach  the  school,  which  he  did  with  much  skill  and  acceptabil- 
ity. In  addition  to  teaching,  he  also  assisted  Rev.  Herbruck  in 
his  pastoral  activities,  preaching  occasionally  for  some  of  the 
outlying  congregations.  He  was  licensed  by  St.  John's  Classis, 
in  1869,  and  preached  regularly  thereafter  until  his  death.  On 
one  of  these  trips  he  contracted  pneumonia,  and  died  December 
29,  1870,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-six  years.  Rev.  Herbruck, 
in  a  letter  written  soon  after  Mr.  Mueller's  death,  gave  him 
this  testimony,  "He  was  a  good  husband  to  his  wife,  a  good 
father  to  his  children,  an  active  member  of  the  church,  and  a 
true  servant  of  the  Lord."  The  congregation,  in  appreciation 

188 


o 

li 


IE 


THE  GERMAN  SCHOOL  189 

of  his  faithful  services,  erected  a  small  house,  located  on  the 
spot  where  the  Wheeling  and  Lake  Erie  round  house  now  is, 
which  was  occupied  for  years  by  the  family  of  the  deceased.* 

During  the  first  years  the  teaching  was  entirely  in  German, 
and  the  teacher  was  compensated  by  the  tuition-fees  paid  by  the 
parents  of  the  pupils,  amounting  to  fifty  cents  a  month  for  each 
pupil.  Mr.  Mueller  did  not  consider  this  a  good  plan  and 
labored  to  secure  the  introduction  of  some  English.  He  count- 
ed it  as  an  especial  achievement  that  this  plan  ws  sanctioned 
by  the  congregation,  and  that  the  Canton  school  board  declared 
its  willingness  to  rent  the  building,  pay  the  salary  of  the  teach- 
er, and  conduct  the  school  as  a  part  of  the  public-school  sys- 
tem, with  one-half  of  the  time  being  devoted  to  the  German 
language. 

Mr.  Mueller  died  before  this  plan  could  be  put  into  opera- 
tion. The  unexpired  term  from  January  to  June,  1871,  seems 
to  have  been  taught  by Karr.  He  was  followed  proba- 
bly for  one  year  by Haushalter.  At  least,  these  men 

taught  for  a  short  period,  and  their  names  do  not  appear  in  the 
records  of  the  Canton  school  board  as  having  been  employed 
by  them.  Hence,  it  is  probable  that  for  some  unknown  reason, 
the  operation  of  the  contemplated  plan  was  delayed. 

The  first  teacher  employed  by  the  board  was Grues- 

sie,  who  taught  from  1872-77.  This  man  was  a  unique  char- 
acter, and  impressed  his  peculiarities  upon  the  memories  of  the 
pupils  in  such  a  way,  that  an  abundance  of  school  incidents  are 
still  told  with  great  gusto.  One  day  the  schoolmaster  took  a 
little  nap  during  the  teaching  hours,  an  occurrence  which  hap- 
pened somewhat  frequently.  One  of  the  older  boys  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  opportunity,  and  put  several  small  mice  into  the 
master's  violin  with  which  he  was  wont  to  lead  the  music. 
Lest  the  mice  escape  the  boy  also  pasted  paper  over  the  open- 


*  At  that  time  the  entire  southeastern  quarter  of  what  is  now  Can- 
ton was  covered  with  fields  and  orchards  of  idyllic  beauty.  Mrs.  Muel- 
ler has  declared,  "We  lived  there  as  in  paradise."  The  widow,  Mrs. 
Mueller,  and  the  two  children,  Theodore  and  Emma,  have  remained 
members  of  the  First  Church  throughout  the  years. 


190  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

ings.  After  a  while  the  master  awoke  and  seeing  that  it  was 
about  closing  time  gave  directions  to  put  the  books  away  and 
prepare  for  the  closing  singing  period.  Now  when  he  began 
to  play,  things  began  to  happen.  The  mice  squeaked  and 
scampered  about,  and  the  pupils  roared.  Much  incensed,  the 
teacher  demanded  the  name  of  the  perpetrator  of  the  trick. 
No  one  would  betray  him.  So  the  master  promised  a  thrash- 
ing to  everyone  in  the  school,  and  proceeded  to  put  his  threat 
into  execution.  The  older  pupils  took  their  medicine  with  a 
grin ;  but  when  the  teacher  began  to  chastise  the  smaller  ones, 
the  guilty  boy  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  jumped  up  and 
attacked  the  teacher.  In  the  scuffle  that  ensued,  the  violin  was 
broken  over  the  boy's  head,  and  the  boy's  school-days  ended 
then  and  there. 

On  another  occasion  a  boy  giggled  while  watching  a  mouse 
play  hide-and-seek  in  the  schoolroom.  Refusing  to  explain 
his  unseemly  conduct,  he  was  locked  into  the  cellar.  The  lad 
at  once  took  out  the  frame  of  the  window,  crawled  out,  put  the 
frame  into  place  again  from  the  outside  and  scampered  off. 
This  strange  disappearance  greatly  mystified  the  teacher,  who 
could  not  understand  how  the  boy  had  got  out  of  the  locked 
window. 

Mr.  Gruessie  is  also  remembered  on  account  of  little,  two- 
line,  funny  jingles,  which  he  used  to  compose  and  get  off  at 
the  expense  of  the  pupils.  Some  of  these  are  still  to  be  heard 
when  his  former  scholars  are  in  a  reminiscent  mood. 

From  1878-80  Mr.  B.  F.  Schwier  was  in  charge.  No  par- 
ticular incidents  concerning  his  incumbency  have  been  pre- 
served. 

The  last  teacher  was  Rudolph  Leonhart  (1881-5).  He 
was  a  man  with  several  college  degrees  and  splendid  abilities. 
He  was  also  the  author  of  a  number  of  novels  which  acquired 
some  little  fame,  such  as,  The  Treasure  of  Montezuma,  The 
Wild  Rose,  Through  Blood  and  Iron,  Children  of  the  Outlaws, 
and  others.  At  the  time  of  his  service  in  Canton,  he  was  an 
old  man,  rapidly  becoming  blind.  Though  teaching  with  great 
acceptability,  his  physical  infirmity  was  a  handicap  which  some 


THE  GERMAN  SCHOOL  191 

of  the  bad  boys  of  the  school  occasionally  used,  to  perpetrate 
the  mean  little  trick  of  pinning  a  pig's  tail  to  the  teacher's 
coat,  which  contributed  considerably  to  the  merriment  of  the 
entire  school.  Mr.  Leonhart's  eyesight  finally  became  so  poor, 
that  he  was  forced  to  give  up  his  teaching,  but  even  after  total 
blindness  had  come,  he  zealously  continued  his  literary  activi- 
ties. 

After  1885,  the  old  building  was  used  for  many  purposes, 
such  as  choir  rehearsals,  band  practice,  catechetical  instruc- 
tion, consistory  meetings,  society  meetings,  social  gatherings, 
and  on  Sunday  it  was  occupied  by  the  Primary  Department  of 
the  Sunday  School. 

In  1899  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Gibbs  Manufacturing 
Company  for  $100,  and  was  removed  to  their  plant,  where  for 
years  it  has  been  used  as  the  office  of  the  concern. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
THE  GERMAN  LADIES'  AID  SOCIETY 

THE  German  Ladies'  Aid  Society  has  been  in  continuous 
operation  since  1879.  It  had,  however,  two  predecessors, 
which,  during  the  years  that  the  church  was  being  built,  had  ren- 
dered most  valuable  service.  These  earlier  organizations,  which 
were  known  as  "The  Woman's  Society"  and  "The  Maidens' 
Society",  busily  sewed,  served  suppers,  and  collected  by  per- 
sonal solicitation,  in  order  to  secure  funds  for  the  large  bell 
still  in  the  steeple  and  for  part  of  the  interior  furnishings  of 
the  church.  When  the  church  was  all  paid  for,  the  organiza- 
tions were  allowed  to  disband. 

After  an  interval  of  about  fourteen  years,  the  need  of  a 
woman's  aid  society  became  insistent  again,  and  hence,  in  1879, 
a  new  organization  was  effected.  The  minutes  of  the  first 
meeting,  recorded  in  the  handwriting  of  Rev.  P.  Herbruck, 
read  as  follows:  "The  Woman's  Society  of  the  Reformed 
Jerusalem's  Congregation  of  Canton,  Ohio,  was  organized  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1879.  Mrs.  Lydia  Hexamer  was  elected  as  chair- 
man, and  Mrs.  Susanna  Deuble  as  treasurer.  The  society  will 
meet  once  every  two  weeks.  Each  member  will  pay,  if  possi- 
ble, ten  cents  at  each  meeting.  The  monies  are  to  be  expended 
for  home  and  foreign  missions  and  other  benevolent  purposes." 

The  women  united  with  the  new  organization  with  glad- 
ness, and  within  a  year  forty-six  members  were  enrolled.  The 
organization  of  the  society  during  the  days  of  Rev.  Herbruck's 
pastorate  was  unique.  The  officers  elected  merely  had  the 
honor  of  the  position ;  for  the  pastor  presided  at  the  meetings, 
recorded  the  minutes,  took  charge  of  the  money,  disbursed 
it  according  to  his  best  judgment,  and  simply  reported  his 
actions  to  the  society. 

The  members  worked  with  remarkable  faithfulness  to 
secure  funds.  In  addition  to  the  regular  monthly  dues  of 

192 


THE  GERMAN  LADIES'  AID  SOCIETY  193 

twenty  cents,  the  women  secured  considerable  amounts  from 
sewing,  suppers,  bazaars,  special  offerings  and  gifts. 

The  list  of  disbursements  during  the  first  years  displays 
a  truly  remarkable  array  of  benevolent  and  good  works.  It 
will  prove  of  interest  to  give  the  complete  list  of  the  first  two 
years. 

For  cleaning  the  church  $30.00 

"    missions  10.00 

"   groceries  for  a  sick  man  2.05 

"   the  blind  minister  Z 5.00 

"   clothes  for  poor  children 3.90 

"   Catherine  2.05 

"  the  church  paper  for  two  inmates  of  the  infirmary    4.00 

"    chairs  in  the  church 64.00 

"   the  classical  contingents  30.00 

"    the  Tract  Society  5.00 

"   Christmas  gifts  for  the  Sunday  School 5.50 

"   a  jubilee  present  to  Rev. 34.00 

The  society  was  also  active  in  giving  much  necessary  help 
to  the  congregation.  Thus  we  find  it  helping  to  build  and 
paint  the  parsonage,  pay  the  taxes,  sewer  assessment,  street- 
paving,  repair  the  organ,  fix  up  the  furnace,  paint  the  church, 
remodel  the  church,  pay  part  of  the  janitor's  salary,  etc.,  etc. 

All  together  the  record  of  the  society  is  one  to  be  proud 
of ;  and  the  good  work  has  continued  until  this  day. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  society,  the  custom  also  arose 
of  presenting  a  small  gift  to  the  family  of  diseased  members 
where  there  appeared  to  be  need.  This  custom  gradually  led 
to  the  creation  of  a  special  "funeral  fund"  in  1899.  From  this 
fund  the  family  of  "every  member  in  good  standing"  was  to 
be  "entitled  to  twenty  dollars  at  her  death."  The  burden  of 
maintaining  this  funeral  fund  became  too  heavy,  after  the  tran- 
sition of  the  congregation  from  the  German  to  the  English 
language,  had  made  it  impossible  to  prevent  the  rapid  decrease 
of  the  number  of  active  members.  When  the  society  realized 
that  its  entire  income  was  being  used  up  to  pay  the  funeral 
claims,  it  decided  in  1916  to  abolish  the  death  benefits  entirely, 

13 


194  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

and  work  only  to  assist  congregational  and  denominational 
lines  of  activity. 

The  Woman's  Society  at  the  period  of  its  greatest  pros- 
perity numbered  140  members.  Since  all  the  meetings  of  the 
society  are  conducted  entirely  in  German,  it  has  been  impossi- 
ble for  years  to  secure  new  members  except  at  long  intervals. 
As  nearly  all  the  members  are  advanced  in  years,  deaths  have 
been  very  frequent.  The  present  membership  is  eighty. 

During  the  last  twenty-seven  years,  Mrs.  Flora  Heidrich 
has  served  as  the  active  and  efficient  president.  Of  the  char- 
ter members  who  were  present  at  the  organization  of  the  soci- 
ety in  1879,  four  remain  as  active  members  until  now,  namely : 
Mesdames  Elizabeth  Arnold,  Susanna  Krieg,  Katherine  Paar 
and  Katherine  Schwingel. 

The  present  officers  are :  President,  Mrs.  Flora  Heidrich ; 
Recording  Secretary,  Mrs.  Bertha  Zurcher;  Treasurer,  Mrs. 
Minnie  C.  Hartung;  Treasurer,  Flower  Fund,  Mrs.  Caroline 
Schaub.  The  last  three  have  held  these  offices  for  a  score  of 
years. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  SOCIETY  OF  CHRISTIAN 
ENDEAVOR 

A  MONG  the  organizations  connected  with  the  church,  the 
*  *  Christian  Endeavor  Society  has  been  one  of  the  most 
fruitful  agencies  in  training  active  workers.  A  long  and 
splendid  list  of  elders,  deacons,  Sunday  School  superintendents, 
teachers,  and  leaders  in  the  missionary  societies,  received  their 
initiation  into  active  Christian  service  in  this  society.  The 
young  people  of  the  church  were  trained  through  it  in  public 
speaking  and  prayer;  they  learned  to  co-operate  with  others 
through  the  committee  duties;  they  acquired  a  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility for  the  success  of  the  church ;  they  became  educat- 
ed in  church  and  missionary  activities;  and  finally,  they  in- 
creased in  the  grace  of  giving. 

Before  the  organization  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Socie- 
ty, a  young  people's  society  known  as  "The  Willing  Workers" 
had  been  in  existence.  This  society  seems  to  have  had  for  its 
main  object  the  giving  of  financial  assistance  to  the  church  and 
hence  could  not  meet  the  needs  of  the  spiritual  development 
of  the  young  people. 

Dr.  Strassner,  a  few  months  after  beginning  his  pastorate, 
induced  the  younger  members  of  the  congregation  to  organize 
a  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  The  minutes  of  the  first  meet- 
ing when  a  temporary  organization  was  effected  read  as  fol- 
lows: 

"Canton,  Ohio,  June  1,  1890.  The  Young  People  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church  met  at  3  P.M.  Miss  Lizzie  Walker 
acted  as  president ;  Miss  Mary  Speck  as  secretary.  We  or- 
ganized a  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor." 

On  the  tenth  of  June,  the  society  met  again,  and  formed  a 
permanent  organization.  The  usual  officers  of  a  Christian 
Endeavor  Society  were  elected  for  a  term  of  six  months  only. 
Dr.  Strassner  became  the  first  president.  The  committees 

195 


196  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

appointed  were  called :  music,  calling,  missionary,  temperance, 
and  relief. 

During  the  first  six  months  the  society  used  the  topics  as 
appointed  for  Christian  Endeavor  societies ;  but  the  members 
were  a  little  chary  about  signing  the  pledge  and  adopting  a  dis- 
tinctly Christian  Endeavor  constitution;  hence,  the  end  of  the 
year  was  reached  before  the  first  pledges  were  signed.  Among 
these  first  signers  appear  the  names  of  several  who  later  ren- 
dered good  service  as  members  of  the  consistory ;  viz. :  Fred 
Baker,  J.  F.  H.  Deibel,  Chris.  Sander,  Charles  Seemann,  Adam 
Thomas  and  Phil  Weber;  and  also  the  following  who  have 
made  a  noble  record  as  Sunday  School  teachers:  Katie  Elbel 
(Leidig),  Leah  Neher,  Minnie  Snyder,  Gertrude  Talbot  (Nist) 
and  William  Daberko. 

In  addition  to  the  well-known  work  carried  on  by  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  societies,  our  society  early  assumed  certain  def- 
inite tasks  which  would  help  the  church.  In  1892,  the  practice 
of  furnishing  flowers  the  year  around,  for  adorning  the  com- 
munion table  during  the  church  services,  was  begun  and  has 
been  faithfully  kept  up  to  the  present.  Each  Sunday  evening 
these  flowers  are  then  distributed  to  the  sick  and  shut-ins. 
Special  missionary  pledges  have  been  made  from  time  to  time 
and  faithfully  paid  for  long  periods.  The  society  has  also  con- 
tributed for  special  needs  of  the  church  as  occasions  arose. 

A  Junior  Endeavor  Society  was  also  organized  Novem- 
ber 3,  1894,  and  flourished  greatly  for  a  period.  The  problem 
of  a  successful  Junior  Society  has  always  been  solved,  when  a 
capable  and  consecrated  superintendent  was  to  be  found.  When 
such  a  leader  was  not  at  hand,  the  society  went  to  sleep.  Prob- 
ably the  fact  that  the  catechetical  classes  have  always  been 
especially  stressed  by  the  pastors,  has  made  the  carrying  on  of 
a  Junior  Society  peculiarly  difficult.  After  prolonged  periods 
of  rest,  the  Junior  Society  has  been  several  times  reorganized. 
The  following  rendered  good  service  as  superintendents  and 
assistants:  Mrs.  F.  Strassner  and  Mary  Speck  (Sander), 

1894-96;  Mrs.  F.  C.  Nau  and  Leah  Neher,  1897 ;  Mrs. 

Clara  Weiss,  1903-4;  Mrs.  Gertrude  Nist  and  Mrs.  Clara  Ray, 


THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  SOCIETY  OF  C.  E.  197 

1906-7;  Estella  Miller,  1908:  Marie  Smith,  1914-15;  Pearl 
Snyder,  1915.  This  list  does  not  include  all  those  who  were 
active  in  Junior  work ;  for  generally  a  committee  appointed  by 
the  senior  society  aided  the  superintendent  in  charge.  The 
names  of  the  entire  committees  are  unfortunately  no  longer 
on  record. 

At  first  the  presidents  of  the  senior  society  were  elected 
for  a  term  of  six  months  only,  and  changes  were  rapid.  More 
recently  the  term  was  extended  to  one  year  and  re-elections 
have  been  frequent.  Since  1908  the  president's  term  has  be- 
gun in  October  of  each  year.  A  complete  list  of  the  presidents 
and  the  time  during  which  they  served  is  here  given. 

Rev.  F.  Strassner,  1890  Minnie  Schneider,  1905 — 06 

Charles  Seeman,  1891  Gertrude  Talbot  (Nist),  1907—08 

Louise  Bauhof  Katherine  Enzmann 

(Newacheck),  1892  (Binns),  1909 

Mary  Speck  (Sander),      1893  Chas.  W.  Arnold,  1910 

Leah  Neher,  1894  N.  O.  Hexamer,  1911—12 

Mrs.  Louise  Newacheck,  1895  Elsie  Schaub,  1912 — 13 

Chris.  Sander,  1895—96  Andrew  Huber,  1914 

J.  F.  H.  Deibel,  1897—99  Ernest  Miller,  1914—15 

William  Daberko,  1900—03  Pauline  Nelson,  1916 

Arthur  Schaub,  1904  Pearl  Snyder,  1916—17 

The  membership  of  the  society  in  the  days  of  its  greatest 
popularity  was  over  one-hundred.  Since  the  organized  Sun- 
day School  classes  have  multiplied  and  become  active,  the 
Christian  Endeavor  Society  has  found  it  increasingly  difficult 
to  maintain  a  large  membership.  Though  the  present  member- 
ship is  only  fifty,  the  effective  training  work  of  the  society  has 
not  been  diminished. 

The  present  officers  are:  President,  Pearl  Snyder;  Vice 
President,  Louise  V.  Bolliger;  Recording  Secretary,  Warren 
Link;  Corresponding  Secretary,  L.  Aurelia  Bolliger;  Finan- 
cial Secretary,  Hilda  R.  Schmidt;  Treasurer,  Pauline  Nelson. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
THE  WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 


organization  of  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society 
sprang  from  the  need  of  an  English  speaking  society 
which  could  assist  in  missionary  and  congregational  activities. 
The  women  of  the  church  who  could  not  speak  the  German  lan- 
guage were  unable  to  co-operate  with  the  German  Ladies'  Aid 
Society,  and  hence,  an  agitation  was  begun  to  call  a  new  organ- 
ization into  existence. 

The  consistory  gladly  sanctioned  the  plan  February  7, 
1902  in  the  following  resolution,  "A  motion  prevailed  that  the 
consistory  recommend  a  new  organization  called  'Ladies'  Mis- 
sionary Society'  or  some  other  appropriate  name."  During 
the  following  months  the  women  interested  got  together,  and 
by  the  beginning  of  1903  they  were  ready  to  organize.  Seven- 
teen ladies  met  January  18,  1903.  Rev.  Nau  acted  as  tem- 
porary chairman  and  explained  the  work  and  organization  of 
a  missionary  society.  The  first  officers  elected  were  Mrs.  Clara 
Weiss,  president;  Mrs.  Eva  Thomas,  secretary;  Mrs.  Kate 
Thorn,  treasurer. 

The  object  of  the  new  organization  which  was  known  at 
first  as  "The  Ladies'  Missionary  Society"  was  stated  in  the 
constitution  adopted,  as  being  twofold  ;  first,  "To  awaken  and 
foster  the  missionary  spirit  in  our  church  and  to  labor  earnest- 
ly and  systematically  in  behalf  of  the  missionary  interests  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,  home  and  foreign 
missions  alike";  secondly,  "To  labor  earnestly  to  further  the 
work  of  the  local  church  in  all  its  departments  by  attending 
regularly  the  Sunday  services,  by  working  for  the  Sunday 
School,  by  fostering  the  spirit  of  sociability,  and  by  helping  the 
church  in  every  possible  way."  A  monthly  contribution  of  at 
least  ten  cents  per  member  was  also  decided  upon. 

Several  months  after  the  organization,  a  membership  con- 
test was  inaugurated.  The  society  was  divided  into  two 

198 


|H 


THE  WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  199 

groups:  the  one  carried  the  national  colors,  red,  white,  and 
blue;  the  other  had  the  Reformed  Church  colors,  black,  red, 
and  orange.  By  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  membership  had 
thus  been  increased  to  sixty-eight. 

During  the  first  five  and  one-half  years,  the  organization 
operated  simply  as  a  congregational  society  distributing  its  gifts 
from  time  to  time  according  to  its  preference.  Home  and  for- 
eign missionary  objects  received  about  half  of  the  total  income ; 
the  remainder  was  given  to  various  congregational  needs,  such 
as,  music  fund,  cleaning  the  church,  building  and  repair  fund, 
etc. 

At  the  February  meeting,  1905,  the  society  entered  upon 
a  new  phase  of  work  which  is  thus  introduced  in  the  minutes, 
"Motion  was  made  and  carried  that  a  sewing-circle  be  organ- 
ized to  make  articles  for  which  ready  sale  might  be  found." 
This  sewing  circle,  though  conducted  by  the  missionary  society, 
extended  an  invitation  to  the  ladies  of  the  entire  church  to 
assist.  Many  responded,  and  this  circle  has  continued  without 
interruption  until  now.  The  women  have  given  ungrudgingly 
of  their  time  and  skill,  and  thus  largely  increased  the  funds 
available  for  the  distinctive  work  of  the  missionary  society.  A 
number  of  highly  successful  bazaars  and  suppers  have  been  con- 
ducted in  the  past,  and  the  society  has  made  for  itself  quite  an 
enviable  reputation  on  account  of  the  excellency  of  these 
affairs.  At  the  present  time  the  sewing-circle  confines  itself 
almost  entirely  to  quilting,  and  work  is  brought  to  it  from  all 
parts  of  Canton. 

From  the  beginning  also,  congregational  visiting  has  been 
emphasized,  until  now,  at  every  meeting,  from  forty  to  one  hun- 
dred vivits  are  reported.  In  case  of  sickness,  flowers  are  car- 
ried to  the  afflicted  ones. 

A  new  era  in  the  work  of  the  society  dawned,  when  the 
members  got  the  vision  of  the  larger  work  which  could  be  done 
if  they  were  affiliated  with  the  Woman's  Missionary  organiza- 
tions of  the  Reformed  Church.  As  St.  John's  Classis  had  no 
woman's  organization,  the  society  decided  in  September,  1907, 
"To  join  the  Tuscarawas  Classical  Society  until  such  a  time 


200  FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 

that  St.  John's  Classis  might  be  organized."  In  order  to  avoid 
the  complications  which  might  follow  connection  with  another 
classis  and  synod,  the  matter  was  reconsidered  at  the  next 
meeting,  and  the  decision  was  reached  to  first  make  the  effort 
to  organize  a  Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  St.  John's 
Classis. 

Rev.  Bolliger,  in  the  name  of  the  society,  overtured  St. 
John's  Classis  for  permission  to  organize  a  classical  woman's 
society,  and  also  to  appoint  a  committee  to  carry  the  project  to 
completion.  Both  requests  were  granted,  and  Rev.  Bolliger 
was  made  chairman  of  the  committee  requested.  The  other 
members  of  the  committee  were  Rev.  A.  Zimmerman  and  Elder 
John  Kaderle.  After  an  extended  correspondence  with  pas- 
tors and  societies,  delegates  from  seven  societies  met  in  Can- 
ton, April  23,  1908,  as  guests  of  the  Canton  society.  Five  of 
these  societies  had  already  voted  in  favor  of  entering  a  classi- 
cal organization.  The  committee  appointed  by  Classis  had 
worked  out  a  suitable  constitution,  which  was  adopted,  and  a 
temporary  organization  was  effected,  with  Mrs.  Catherine  Da- 
hinden,  the  president  of  the  Canton  society,  as  temporary  pres- 
ident. At  the  annual  meeting  of  St.  John's  Classis  during  the 
following  June,  the  proposed  constitution  was  adopted,  and 
immediately  afterwards  the  delegates  of  the  missionary  socie- 
ties met,  effected  a  permanent  organization,  and  started  in  to 
do  systematic  missionary  work. 

The  Canton  society  at  the  beginning  assumed  the  full  ap- 
portionment for  only  forty  members ;  but  by  the  end  of  two 
years  the  work  had  won  such  a  place  for  itself  that  the  entire 
membership  has  been  reported  ever  since. 

The  Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  St.  John's  Classis 
now  includes  thirteen  organizations  with  320  members.  Of 
this  number  the  Canton  societies  furnish  125.  The  organiza- 
tion of  the  Classical  society  was  due  entirely  to  the  efforts  put 
forth  by  the  Canton  society  and  its  pastor;  and  the  continued 
highly  successful  development  of  the  woman's  missionary 
interests  in  the  Classis,  has  been  largely  dependent  upon  the 
earnest  work  of  the  Canton  members.  They  have  great  rea- 


o   $ 

" 


«   5 

i 


THE  WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  201 

son  to  look  with  maternal  pride  upon  the  vigorous  robustness 
of  their  numerous  offspring. 

No  small  measure  of  the  success  attained  by  the  Canton 
Society  has  come  from  the  programs  presented.  From  the 
beginning,  each  meeting  was  planned  to  give  some  definite  mis- 
ionary  information  and  inspiration.  During  the  last  years  the 
text-books  as  used  by  the  Woman's  Missionary  Societies 
throughout  the  land,  have  been  studied  by  the  members  who  are 
most  interested,  and  the  various  chapters  are  used  as  the  basis 
for  the  monthly  programs. 

Two  auxiliary  missionary  societies  were  called  into  exist- 
ence during  April,  1916.  The  "business  girls"  of  the  congre- 
gation were  practically  barred  from  the  Woman's  Society  by 
the  fact  that  all  meetings  were  held  during  the  afternoon.  To 
enlist  these  young  women  in  the  work,  the  "Auxiliary  Woman's 
Missionary  Society"  was  organized.  The  present  officers  are, 
Mrs.  Martha  Bachtel,  president ;  Miss  Edith  Daberko,  secre- 
tary; Miss  Hazel  Troutner,  treasurer.  The  membership  num- 
bers twenty. 

The  younger  girls  were  organized  into  the  "Emma  Ziemer 
Missionary  Circle,"  which  now  has  twenty-four  members.  The 
officers  are :  Miss  L.  Aurelia  Bolliger,  president ;  Miss  Blanche 
Hohler,  secretary;  Mrs.  Beulah  Mock,  treasurer. 

The  total  receipts  of  the  older  society  since  its  organiza- 
tion have  been  $2536.  The  entire  amount  was  given  for  mis- 
sionary, benevolent,  and  congregational  purposes. 

The  present  officers  are:  Mrs.  Jennie  Mack,  president; 
Mrs.  Clara  Trachsel,  secretary;  Mrs.  Winifred  Walker,  treas- 
urer. 

In  the  fifteen  years  of  its  existence  the  missionary  society 
has  had  only  seven  presidents,  namely,  Mrs.  Clara  Weiss,  Mrs. 
Emma  Whaler,  Mrs.  Catherine  Dahinden,  Mrs.  Etta  Kitson, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bolliger,  Mrs.  Eva  Thomas  and  Mrs.  Jennie 
Mack. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
EXPANSION 

"  I  ^HE  Reformed  churches  of  Canton  have  caught  a  vision 
*•  of  the  possibilities  before  the  church  in  a  growing,  indus- 
trial community  such  as  ours,  and  are  determined  to  push  the 
organization  of  other  congregations  in  the  unoccupied  portions 
of  Canton. 

The  beginning  was  made  in  1914  by  the  purchase  of  two 
lots  on  the  corner  of  Arlington  Ave.  and  Third  St.  N.W.  Each 
one  of  the  existing  congregations  made  itself  responsible  for  a 
certain  proportion  of  the  purchase  price;  namely:  Trinity, 
eight-thirteenths;  First,  four-thirteenths;  Grace,  one-thir- 
teenth. In  1916,  a  third  lot  was  purchased,  giving  a  plot  80  by 
140  feet  with  an  annex  of  40  by  40  feet.  The  total  cost  of 
the  site  was  $3350,  which  is  being  paid  off  in  monthly  install- 
ments. Including  the  interest,  sewer  assessments,  taxes  and 
other  incidentals  the  lots  will  cost  the  three  older  churches 
$3700. 

At  the  petition  of  the  Canton  churches,  the  Board  of  Home 
Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church  commissioned  Rev.  O.  P. 
Foust  as  missionary.  He  began  his  work  on  September  1,  1916. 
On  October  29,  a  congregation  was  organized  with  forty-eight 
members.  On  January  20,  1917,  the  congregation  was  incor- 
porated with  the  name  "Lowell  Reformed  Church."  Imme- 
diately after  the  incorporation,  the  lots  were  deeded  to  the  new 
organization  without  any  encumbrance  whatsoever. 

The  Lowell  congregation  is  planning  to  build  the  Sunday 
School  unit  of  its  own  church  home  during  the  summer  of  1917. 
Owing  to  the  great  increase  in  the  price  of  labor  and  building 
material,  this  part  of  the  building  will  cost  about  $14,000.  The 
church  auditorium  will  not  be  built  until  the  growth  of  the  con- 
gregation makes  it  necessary.  The  erection  of  the  Sunday 
School  unit  at  the  present  time  was  made  possible  only  by  the 
loan  of  $7500  made  by  the  Home  Mission  Board.  The  Lowell 

202 


s 

Is 

5T  n 


9-  n 

t* 
*l 

tn     Pi 


* 


, 
1 


EXPANSION  203 

Church  on  Easter  Sunday  increased  its  membership  to  one  hun- 
dred. 

A  site  for  a  fifth  Reformed  church  has  already  been  pur- 
chased by  Tuscarawas  Classis,  on  Twenty-third  St.  N.W.  for 
$2100.  It  is  expected  that  in  a  year  or  two  at  the  most,  a  build- 
ing can  be  erected  there. 

A  Sunday  School  has  also  been  conducted  for  two  years  on 
Maple  Ave.  N.E.  The  school,  which  is  under  the  fostering 
care  of  the  Trinity  Church,  has  an  enrollment  of  about  one  hun- 
dred. The  prospects  for  securing  suitable  lots,  and  putting  up 
a  temporary  building  for  more  efficient  work,  are  very  prom- 
ising. 

Stark  County  a  few  years  ago,  when  a  census  of  the  church- 
es was  taken,  had  more  Reformed  congregations  than  any  other 
denomination.  Reformed  people  have  been  pouring  into  Can- 
ton from  these  congregations,  and  many  of  these  have  been  lost 
to  our  church,  because  the  work  of  planting  missions  had  been 
so  long  neglected.  Now,  however,  our  people  are  awakening 
to  their  duty.  The  churches  already  established  have  resolved 
to  dismiss — without  any  effort  to  hold  them — anyone  who 
desires  to  unite  with  one  of  the  mission  churches.  This  policy, 
followed  out  for  a  few  years,  will  make  it  possible  to  plant  a 
Reformed  church  in  every  part  of  Canton  that  is  now  without 
a  place  of  worship.  This  Canton  missionary  work  will  great- 
ly bless  the  older  congregations,  will  extend  the  borders  of  our 
Reformed  Zion,  and  build  up  the  kingdom  of  our  God.  "To 
Him  be  all  the  glory,  forever  and  forever." 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Ambler,  Jacob  A.,  secures  a 
new  law  for  Rev. 
Herbruck  102 

Auxiliary  Woman's  Mis- 
sionary Society  201 

Behmer,  Mrs.  M.  A.,  leaves 

a  bequest  to  church..       143 

Bells  in  tower 103,112 

Benecker,  Mrs.  Sophia,  me- 
morial fund  182 

Benevolent   Offerings   144, 172 

Billy  Sunday  Campaign 175-7 

Bolliger,  Rev.  Theo.  P.,  call 

to   Canton 164-5 

Life  165-9 

First  sermons  in  Canton  164-5 

Education    167-8, 169 

Charges  served   168-9 

Church  positions  held. .       169 
Results  of  Canton  pas- 
torate       170-77 

Reasons  for  writing  the 
history  of    the    First 

Church   177 

and  Preface 

Bosch,  Rev.  J.  H 152,187 

Bousch,  Att'y  C.  M 126 

Buckingham,  Rev Ill,  113, 186 

Buettner,  Dr.  J.  G.,  de- 
scribes minister's  work 

in    1834-45   58-9 

Educational  training  . .  64 
Professor  at  Canton...  64-7 
Literary  activities 69 

Canton,  in  1805 1 

In  1810 8 

In   1816    14-15 

In    1821    20 

In    1830   43-44 

From  1830-50 96 

From  1850-70  114-15 

In  1895  123 

Six  feet  of  land  deeded 

to  151 

In  1917  .  .  178-9 


PAGE 
Cemetery  of  the 

church 24,  36,  120,  151 

Choir    185,187 

Christian  Endeavor  Society      142 

History  of    195-6 

Organizes  a  Jr.  Society  196-7 

Former  presidents   197 

Officers 197 

Church  Records  9,  26, 156 

and  Preface 

Church  Roll,  118-19 ;  132,  142,  154 
170-71 

Columbiana  Classis  78,  88-90,  92,  93 
Congregations  belonging  to 
Canton   parish    under 
Rev.  Mahnenschmidt. .  6,  17 

Under  Rev.  Faust 17,26 

Under  Rev.  Herbruck  45,  50, 

52-53,   54,  55,   57,   94,  113, 

119-120,  130 

Consistory,  increased 151 

Members    179 

Constitution  of  the  congre- 
gation, first  constitu- 
tions   22,  156 

Reformed    constitutions 

and  revisions  156-7 

Present    constitution..  157-63 

Corner  stone,  laying  of 105-6 

Opening  of 106-8 

Contents  of   108-13 

Contract,  minister's   52 

Cramer,  Rev.  W.  Staurt...          6 

Cronenwirth,  Rev 126 

Customs,  old-time    4, 20 

Dahlmann,  Rev.  Jacob,  D.D.      128 
Danzinger,    Dr.,    document 

in  corner  stone Ill 

Dedication  service,  in  1862.112-13 
In  1899    149 

Emma  Ziemer  Circle 201 

English   entering    the    con- 
gregation, 26,  45,  74,  114-16 
113-4,  137,  153-4,  157,  181 


206 


206 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 


PAGE 

Faust,   Rev.   Benjamin,   life 

and  work 16-21 

Trip  to  synod 21 

Helps  to  organize  Ohio 

Synod   25 

Missionary  activities   . .        26 
S.  School  work  19,  26,  28,  180 
Officer  of  Stark  Co.  Bi- 
ble  Society  28 

Pulpit  orator  28-9 

Resolutions  of  Synod  at 

death     30 

Size  of  Canton  congr...  30-31 

Last  six  months 32,35 

Trains  a  successor  .  .32-33,  42 

See  also  108-9,  129,  151 

Faust,  Mrs.   Nancy 17,36 

First  Reformed  Church,  first 

members    2 

First  services  3-4 

First  building    9 

First  mentioned  by  synod  10 
First  confirmations  ...  11 
Congregations  in  parish  17 

Conditions  in  1818 18 

Relocating  and  building, 

second  edifice 22_24 

The  cemetery 24 

Name  chosen  about  1850      157 
Third  edifice  and  sepa- 
ration  fr.  Lutherans  96-104 
Description   of   church.       112 
Pictures    from    congre- 
gational life,  1862-75  118-19 
Building     improved     in 

Rev.   Rust's  pastorate      135 
Enlarged     and    remod- 
eled under  Rev.  Nau  148-150 

Renovation  of  1916 173 

"Fisherman,  The" 128 

Foust,  Rev.  O.   P 202 

Funerals  20,  34-35 

Gerhart,  Rev.  E.  V.,  D.D. . .       167 

German  school   119,  150 

History  of    188-91 

Gibbs,  Louis 103,  109 

Good,  Dr.  J.  H 115 

Grace  Reformed  Church...  144-5 
Gruessie, 189 

Hamm,  Rev.  J.  W.,  36,  44,  45,  46 
47,  48,  88,  89 

Heidelberg  College  68,  128 

Herbruck,  Rev.  Emil  ....121,  127 


PAGE 

Herbruck,  Rev.  Peter,  early 

life.    37-9 

First      experiences      in 

America  40 

Starts  for  Ohio 41 

Reaches  Canton   42 

Meets   Rev.   Faust 32_3 

First  preaching  efforts.     33-5 

Supplies  Canton   44-5 

Experience  at  Xenia. . .     46-8 

Marriage  48 

Visiting  a  murderer. . .  49-50 
Elected  pastor   by  part 

of  the  charge 50 

Ordained   50 

Pastoral  experiences   . .  53-58 

Missionary  zeal  57 

Experience     with      Dr. 

Buettner 67 

Missionary  trip   to   In- 
diana    70-73 

New-measure       excite- 
ment     79-85 

Starts  independent  synod  87-95 

Two  testimonials   95 

The  D.  D.  degree 120 

50th  jubilee    121-2 

Last  years  122-3 

Mrs.  Herbruck's  death.       123 
See  also.. 127,  128-31,  134,  192 
Herbruck  Synod,  causes  of 

organization  87-9,  91 

History  of    91-94 

Herbst,  Mrs.  M.  M 12 

Horsemanship,     Rev.     Her- 
bruck's. .  53-54,  57-58,  69-70 
Hymnal  of  Refor"d  Church 

introduced  143 

Incorporation    of    congr.  157,  163 

Indians  2 

Individual  communion  service    152 

Kaemmerer,  Rev.  David.  .113,  186 

Keller,  Rev.  Abraham 83-4,90 

Keller,  Rev.  Joseph,  D.D...       122 

Klahr,  Rev.  J.  H 126-7 

Koehler,  Rev.  R Ill,  113 

Ladies'    Aid    Society,  First 

Societies    110-11,  192 

Present  society   192-4 

Funeral  fund  193 

Officers 194 

Present    gold   medal  to 
Rev.  Herbruck  .  122 


INDEX 


207 


PAGE 

Language  question,  see  English. 
Lawsuit  with  Lutherans       97-104 
108-10 

Lebermann,  Rev.  J.  J.f  D.D.      126 

Leonard,  Henry   128 

Leonhart,    Rudolph 190-91 

Long,  Rev.  David 36,  46 

Lowell  Reformed  Church..  202-3 

Mahnenschmidt,  Rev.  J.  P...        2 

Life    4-5 

Begins  work  in  Canton          6 

Sermon  outlines   7 

Describes    early    condi- 
tions       10-12 

Edits  the  catechism 12-14 

Helps  organize  the  Ohio 

Synod   25 

Preaches  at  the  gallows        49 

See  also  129 

Maple  Ave.   Sunday  School      203 
Marriage  license  f.  ministers        52 

Massillon  65 

Ministers,  early  education  of  63,  67 

See  also  32-34 

Mueller,  Theodore 188-9 

Murderer  comforted  48-50 

Nau,  Rev.  F.  C.,  Life 146-8 

S.  S.  addition  built 148-9 

Dedication    149 

Description  150 

Result  of  pastorate 151-4 

Activities  since    leaving 
Canton    155 

Neikirk,  Rev  E.  S 153,  187 

New-Measure       Movement, 

origin    79 

Methods 80-81 

Excesses    82-5 

Estimate  of    85_6 

Synod  resolutions  against      82 
In  St.  Martin's  Church      125 

New      Philadelphia,      Ohio 

Synod  organized  ....  24 
Served  by  Rev.  Rust. . .  137 
By  Rev.  Bolliger 169 

Northern  German  Classis..     93-4 

Ohio  Classis,  organized  ...        19 

Meets   in   Canton 19 

In  New    Philadelphia. .         24 


PAGE 

Ohio  Synod,  organized 24 

Decision     in    Osnaburg 

controversy  54-5 

Queer  treatment  of  Rev. 

Herbruck     55-6 

Divided  into  districts..     78-9 
Temperance  resolutions 

76-7,  78 

Divided  into  classes ...        78 
New-measure  resolutions 

82,  92_3 
Reunion  with  Herbruck 

Synod   93-4 

Organs  152-3,  185-7 

Organists   153,  187 

Osnaburg 64,  65,  66,  83,  87-90 

113,  119 

Parsonage   142 

Pence,  Rev.  John 50,  53,  54 

Pennsylvania  Germans,  Rev. 
Herbruck's    experiences 

with,  a  compliment . .        33 

A  knock    33-4 

An  insult 35 

A  loyal  elder 55-6 

A    misunderstood    ser- 
mon           59 

Preaching  they  liked. ..     58-9 
A     disgruntled     parish- 
ioner    59-60 

A  would-be  guest 60-61 

An     elder's     ridiculous 

answer  61-62 

Prugh,  Rev.  John  H.,  D.  D.      149 

Reed,  Michael,  see  Rieth. 
Rieth,  Michael,    services    in 

his  barn  3-4 

Robertsville  charge 126,  137 

Ruetenik,  Rev.  J.  H.,  D.D.  122,  149 

Ruf,  Rev  Berchtold 135-6 

Rupp,  Elder  Henry 152,  186 

Rust,  Rev.  Herman,  D.D.  124,  140 
Rust,  Rev.  John  H.,  Ph.D., 

D.D.,  early  life 124 

First  pastorate 124-8 

Results  of  pastorate 132_4 

Temperance  fight   136-7 

Resignation  137 

Literary  activities 138 

Saint  John's  Classis   94 

St.  John's  Classis  Woman's 

Missionary   Society  199-200 
Salem's  Church  .  125 


208 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH,  CANTON,  O. 


PAGE 

Schade,  Rev.  Aug.  C.  F..D.D.    125 
Schlosser,  Rev.  George 

50,  53,  54,  60,  64-5 

Schumacher,  Rev.  J.  B 116 

Separating  from  Lutherans, 

causes   97 

Attempts     at     amicable 

settlement    97-9 

Decision    of    Reformed 

to  build   98-101 

Lutherans  sue   101-3 

Settlement 103 

Rev.    Herbruck's    story 

of  the  lawsuit 108-10 

Sermon      notes,      by    Rev. 

Mahnenschmidt  7 

Rev.  Faust   29 

Sewing  Circle  founded      199 
Singing  by  congregation  in 

early  times,  3-4,  20,  35,   58 
185 
Sonnendecker,    Rev.   Henry 

17-18,  19,  25,  88,  89,  129 

Staugh,  Rev.  John 2,  4,  8,  17 

Strassner,     Rev.    Frederick, 

D.  D 124,  128 

Early  life   139-40 

Prepares    for  ministry.       141 

Charges  served  141-2 

Results   of  pastorate...  142-3 

Resignation    143-4 

Organizes  Grace  Church      144 

Closing  days   145 

Literary  labors 145 

Synod,   early    references  to 

Canton  Church  9-10 

Temperance,  early  conditions  11,  75 
Synod  resolutions  for.  76_9 
Ministerial  protests  ...  76,  78 


PAGE 

Temperance,  early  conditions  11,  75 
Predicament  of  German 

pastors 77,  78-9 

Consistory   resolutions        119 
Rev.  Rust's  time...  133,  136-7 

Rev.  Bolliger's  time 173-5 

Theological  Semin'yi  need  of      63 
Synod  resolutions    con- 
cerning   62-3 

Dr.  Buettner 64-7 

Reasons  for  failure 68-69 

Twenty-third  St.,  N.W.,  lots      203 
Trinity    Reformed    Church, 
necessity  of   an  Eng- 
lish church    115-16 

Organized  in  First  Ch.  116-17 
Secure  own  church  pro- 
perty    117-18 

Relocate  118 

Draw     members     from 
First  Church  133,  143 

Uhlmann,  Rev.  John  Baptist      130 
Union,  organic    with  Luth- 
erans discussed. .  .25,  61,  97 

Wells,  Bezaleel 1,  8,  22 

Weyer,    Rev.   Anthony 18 

Williard,  Rev.   E.   R.,   D.D.       123 

Winters,  Rev.  Thomas 45,  50 

Windows,   memorial    149 

Wolff,  Rev.  George,  D.D...       141 
Woman's  Missionary  Soc'y  151-2 

History  of    198-201 

Sewing  Circle   founded      199 

Programs    201 

Presidents  201 

Officers 201 

Woman's   Missionary  Soc'y 

of  St.  John's  Classis  199-200 


Zumpf,  Rev.  G.  H. 


50 


BX 
7W 


